Category: Immigration Insights

February 16, 2017

Visitors are no longer able to enter Panama using visas for the EU’s Schengen zone.  The policy change came into effect on 13th January 2017 after a similar step was taken by Costa Rica in December 2016, where visas for Schengen zone countries or Japan were also made ineligible for entry. The moves, however, do not […]

February 16, 2017

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) of South Africa is no longer honouring Temporary Residence Visas (TRVs) issued with a validity period exceeding the foreign national’s passport expiry date, beyond the expiry date of the passport. This came into effect in January 2017. In all instances, where the DHA or a South African Mission abroad […]

February 16, 2017

The Japanese Government is considering shortening the time requirement for highly skilled foreign professionals to apply for permanent residency. With a greying society contributing to a shrinking workforce, this step is considered as critical to help lure more global talent to Japan. A new system for the issuance of green cards is due to be […]

February 16, 2017

A new immigration law (legislative decree No.1350), effective 1st March 2017, will reorganise Peru’s immigration categories into temporary and resident categories, and allow family members of foreign national residents to work with dependent status, among other changes. This follows changes to certain documentary requirements for resident worker and designated worker visas effective 23rd December 2016. Temporary Status This new category includes: […]

February 13, 2017

The Home Office have released an addendum to the Tier 2 guidance, which states that additional fees will be charged to employers who recruit skilled migrant labour from outside of the European Economic Area (EEA). Subject to parliamentary approval, this is expected to come into force on 6th April 2017. The introduction of the Immigration […]

February 13, 2017

On Wednesday 8th February, the House of Commons voted favourably to the European Union Notification of Withdrawal Bill. A number of amendments to the Bill were rejected, including a modification request to protect the residence rights enjoyed by EU citizens lawfully resident in the United Kingdom on the date of the Brexit vote (23rd June 2016). […]

February 10, 2017

In December 2016, Bulgaria implemented EU Directive 2014/67 (concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services). All employers currently seconding employees to Bulgaria must comply with new notification and document retention requirements by 10th February 2017. Notification Requirement Any foreign employer currently seconding employees to Bulgaria must submit a notification […]

February 10, 2017

Romania’s work permit quotas for 2017 have been published in the Official Gazette (Part I, no. 85 of 30 January 2017) according to Government Decision no.35/2017. Work Permit Quotas for 2017 The Government Decision has set a total of 5,500 work authorisations that can be issued in 2017 to foreign nationals on the Romanian labor […]

February 10, 2017

From 26th January 2017, a new law requires certain residence permit applicants to submit a signed “newcomers statement” in support of their application and to provide evidence of their integration efforts in order to maintain or renew their residency status. Who is Affected? The new rules apply to third country (non-EU/EEA) foreign national workers, as […]

February 10, 2017

The Vietnamese authorities have provided further clarifications on work permit procedures after issuing Circular 40 last month, which provided guidelines on the implementation of Decree 11. Among the key points is a new rule that an assignment letter supporting an intra-company transfer must be issued by a shareholder or an owner of the Vietnamese host […]