Category: Immigration Insights

November 2, 2017

Effective 18th December 2017, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority will introduce an electronic-Permanent Residence (e-PR) application system, which will be mandatory for all Permanent Residence (PR) applications from that date. What is changing? With the new e-PR system, applicants will no longer need to make an appointment to submit their application in person, but can […]

November 2, 2017

Effective immediately, Cyprus has implemented a new intra-corporate transferee (ICT) permit. The new permit, in line with the European Union (EU) ICT Directive, facilitates intra-EU mobility, and doesn’t have the strict employer eligibility criteria which characterise the existing intra-corporate transfer route (the work and residence permit for international companies). The Ministry of the Interior signed […]

November 1, 2017

Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has announced that, on 15th November 2017, it will introduce reduced and more consistent processing times for employment passes, a new online application portal and new service fees, paid online in advance of application submission. New Processing Times MSC Approval (Stage 1) MSC Endorsement (Stage 2) ICT Approval (Stage 1) […]

November 1, 2017

Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has announced that, on 15th November 2017, it will introduce reduced and more consistent processing times for employment passes, a new online application portal and new service fees, paid online in advance of application submission. New Processing Times MSC Approval (Stage 1) MSC Endorsement (Stage 2) ICT Approval (Stage 1) […]

November 1, 2017

Following the Australian Senate’s block to the overhaul of the citizenship eligibility criteria, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) has resumed processing applications that were lodged on or after 20th April 2017. However, processing times are expected to be longer while DIBP works through a backlog of applications. Background As reported by Newland […]

November 1, 2017

Effective 2nd January 2018, the Province of Alberta’s Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) will streamline its provincial economic immigration program into two streams. Alberta Opportunity Stream This new stream will be the primary route under the AINP and will be formed by combining the current Employer-Driven Stream, the Strategic Recruitment Stream, and their 11 sub-categories into […]

October 31, 2017

Effective immediately, foreign nationals holding residence visas from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries no longer require consular visas to enter Tunisia and are now eligible for visas-on-arrival valid for stays of up to 15 days. Visas-on-arrival are reportedly now available to GCC expats at all Tunisian airports and border crossings. Requirements To qualify, foreign nationals […]

October 31, 2017

Austria has transposed into national law European Union (EU) Directive 2014/66 “on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals in the framework of an intra-corporate transfer”, and has introduced a new combined work and residence permit category for intra-corporate transfer (ICT). The new ICT route, which replaces the “Rotationsarbeitskraft” scheme for intra-corporate transfers, […]

October 30, 2017

Effective immediately, companies in Saudi Arabia will have to utilise their block visas more quickly in order to hire foreign employees. The Saudi Ministry of Labor has announced that it is reducing the validity period of its block visas from two years to one year. Thus, companies now have just one year to recruit and […]

October 30, 2017

In this week’s edition, we announce that employers can pay to attain the required Saudization category in Saudi Arabia and a new online system has been launched for work permits and visas in Thailand.  We also bring you immigration news from UAE, Oman and the United States.