Category: Immigration Insights

April 26, 2017

The Work Permit Unit of the Ministry of Interior has clarified this week that any application for short-term employment authorisation (SEA) for up to 45 days with a B-1 work visa must be submitted and approved before the applicant travels to Israel. Any application submitted for a SEA B-1 work visa for up to 45 […]

April 25, 2017

On 19th April 2017, Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse announced that changes to the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC), including new minimum salary requirements, will take effect on 14th August 2017. What is the Skilled Migrant Category? With a Skilled Migrant Category resident visa, a qualifying applicant can live and work in New Zealand indefinitely. A points-based […]

April 24, 2017

In this week’s edition, we provide an update on immigration changes in Canada, advise of further information regarding the changes to the Australian 457 visa, and report that qualifying Indian nationals are now eligible for the visa on arrival scheme in the UAE. We also bring you the latest immigration news from the US, the Netherlands […]

April 24, 2017

From 1st May 2017, nationals of Brazil, Bulgaria and Romania will be able to enter Canada with an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) rather than a visa, if: They have held a Canadian visa at any time in the ten years preceding their travel, or They have held a US non-immigrant visa at any time. From […]

April 20, 2017

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced this week that the 2018 cap for H-1B visas has been reached. The USCIS received 199,000 petitions, a reduction on the 236,000 petitions filed for 2017. The cap stands at 65,000 petitions for the general category, and 20,000 for the advanced degree exemption. Petitions were selected at […]

April 20, 2017

The Department of Immigration (DIBP) has released more information about its changes to the Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) overnight. It is important to note that the 457 programme has not yet been abolished, but it will be replaced with the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (a different programme) from March 2018. 457 visa fee increases […]

April 20, 2017

The Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) introduced a new policy on 1st April which provides opportunity for highly skilled foreign workers, foreign students and foreign scientific researchers who hold a valid residence permit, to carry out self-employed activities alongside the main employment or studies that are permitted under their residence permit. Previously, these residence […]

April 20, 2017

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Federal Cabinet has announced that Indian nationals are now eligible for the UAE’s visa on arrival scheme, provided that they have at least six months’ validity remaining on their passport and hold either a valid US visa or US Permanent Residence (Green Card). Indian nationals who meet these requirements do […]

April 20, 2017

Changes to the Express Entry System Canadian Immigration is making heavy use of the Express Entry system in 2017.  There have been 10 draws since January and each draw has resulted in at least 3,500 invitations being issued.  The scores of the lowest ranked invited candidates have been dropping steadily as well.  The most recent […]

April 20, 2017

Mozambican companies have until Sunday 30th April 2017 to submit their annual Mozambican Company Employees List. Employers must complete the Mozambican Company Employees List (or Relação Nominal) each year which must list all individuals, including both local hires and foreign nationals, employed as of 31st March of that year. The list must be submitted to […]