Immigration Insights

February 10, 2023

In response to extensive processing delays, Portugal has extended residence permits due to expire in 2023, to the end of the year.

February 10, 2023

From 1 February 2023, MDEC registered companies will be required to submit the approval from the Labor Department for the submission of the Foreign Knowledge Worker (FKW) projections.

February 10, 2023

Tech Nation, the endorsing body in charge of assessing Global Talent applications in the digital technology category on behalf of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, announced it will cease operations on 31 March 2023.

February 3, 2023

Italy has announced the number of work permits available per year in Italy for some types of employment scenarios for 2023.

February 3, 2023

With concerns over COVID-19 waning, Home Office enforcement actions against UK employers are on the rise, so compliance with employment directives is more important than ever.

February 1, 2023

The USCIS has released a proposed rule that would raise the filing fees required for many applications, specially employment-based applications. The revised fee schedule is only a proposal and will not be in effect until goes through the federal review process, which usually last several months.

January 30, 2023

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the official dates for fiscal year 2024 H-1B Cap.

January 30, 2023

Effective immediately, Chinese consular posts in Japan have resumed issuing Chinese ordinary visas to Japanese citizens.

January 27, 2023

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced its proposal to expand the premium processing service available for some immigrant and non-immigrant benefits in 2023.

January 27, 2023

For travelers who are interested in going to China, CIBT has launched a new webpage. Here, would-be travelers can apply for visas, or sign up to receive information about documentation needed to travel to China, and the current state of travel restrictions.

January 27, 2023

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has confirmed the FY 2024 H-1B cap initial registration period will open on March 1, 2023. Beneficiaries of successful FY 2024 H-1B petitions will be eligible to start working in the U.S. on October 1, 2023.

January 27, 2023

The Slovak authorities have implemented Act No. 5/2004 on 1 January 2023, covering several immigration processes, including Posted Worker Notification.

January 19, 2023

Pakistan has officially submitted documentation to accede to the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, more commonly referred to as the Apostille Convention.

January 13, 2023

The HCMC Department of Labor formally announced COVID-related concessions are to be discontinued with immediate effect.

January 13, 2023

The new Immigration Skills Charge (“ISC”) exemption is available from January 2023 for employers sponsoring senior managers or specialist employees under the Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist (former Intra-Company Transfer) route.

January 13, 2023

From January 2023, the government of the United Kingdom will be implementing an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme as part of their universal “permission to travel” requirement.

January 13, 2023

The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has removed the option for pass endorsements to be filed directly with MDEC for any foreign nationals who renewed their passports and intend to transfer the existing pass onto the new one.

January 12, 2023

Due to concern over rising COVID rates in China, the government of South Korea stopped issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens. In return, Chinese consular posts in Japan and South Korea have suspended issuing Chinese visas of various kinds to Japanese and South Korean citizens.

January 6, 2023

The government of the United Arab Emirates has implemented a mandatory unemployment insurance scheme for employees working in any private or government sector organization. The scheme is called the Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE).

January 6, 2023

A new law to facilitate the entry and residence of foreign talent, investors, entrepreneurs, and digital nomads has gone into effect through a whole legislative package of a type that has not yet seen in Europe.