Immigration Insights

July 4, 2022

Immigration updates from the Middle East region, including the closure of government offices due to the Eid Al Adha holiday, the suspension of visit visas for family and tourists in Kuwait and immigration processing delays in Qatar due to the World Cup.

June 29, 2022

On 1 June, the Swedish parliament announced a number of changes to the Swedish immigration rules.

June 17, 2022

You may be aware of reports that China is loosening entry restrictions for certain visa holders. At the same time, you may also be reading about continuing COVID-19 restrictions in Beijing and Shanghai.  Needless to say, it’s a confusing time when it comes to entry to China, so let’s walk through the most recent developments and China’s governmental policy changes.

June 16, 2022

As of June 12, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) no longer requires air passengers traveling to the United States from a foreign country to show a negative COVID-19 test.

June 10, 2022

Following the increased number of work permit applications from individuals wanting to relocate from Russia, the Federal Employment Agency in Germany has announced that work authorization (pre-approval with the Labour Office) is not required for visas issued until 30 September 2022.

June 8, 2022

On 31 January 2022, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issued an order requiring third party providers transacting with their office to complete an accreditation process and, thereafter, be appointed by their clients as authorized representatives before they are able to lodge the alien employment permit applications on behalf of their clients.

June 6, 2022

On May 24, USCIS provided additional information related to implementation of its expanded premium processing program.

May 24, 2022

Argentina has implemented a Digital Nomad visa on 21 May 2022. The purpose of the new visa is to attract tourists who would like to spend an extended period visiting Argentina, by allowing them permission to work at the same time as visiting.

May 16, 2022

From 1 June 2022, all nationals from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia intending to visit the UK (for tourism, business, study or medical treatment) for a period of up to six months will no longer be required to obtain a Visit visa in advance of travel; instead, they can choose to apply for an Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) to travel to the UK.

May 10, 2022

UK Visas and Immigration have updated the Global Universities List, the table of global universities that will be accepted as awarding institutions for the High Potential Individual (HPI) visa route when it launches on 30 May 2022, for qualifications awarded between 1 November 2021 and 31 October 2022.

May 10, 2022

Due to a backlog of applications and lengthy waiting times for appointments at IN Amsterdam’s Expat Centre, the IN Amsterdam authorities will temporarily reduce their fees by 20% during the months of May and June 2022.

May 5, 2022

USCIS have announced a Temporary Final Rule (TFR) that increases the automatic extension period for employment authorization and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) to up to 540 days.

April 26, 2022

All employers in New Zealand who intend to bring in foreign nationals to take on permanent or local roles will need to have an accreditation status after 4 July 2022.

April 11, 2022

There are new evidential requirements for UK organisations seeking to apply for new or revised licences under the Global Business Mobility immigration routes.

April 6, 2022

The Home Office has released an update to the UK visa fees, effective 6 April 2022, with increases to work visas and student visas.

April 6, 2022

The Home Office’s latest publication of sponsorship transparency data up to and including Q4 2021 confirms what immigration practitioners predicted and are now witnessing: that Brexit, supercharged by a post-pandemic recovery of the UK economy, has resulted in a surge in UK organisations applying for sponsor licences (to hire foreign workers) which, in turn, has drastically impacted processing times and lead to a rapidly growing register of sponsors.

April 5, 2022

The Dutch Immigration Authority (IND) is to reach out to recognized sponsors (companies that are considered as trustworthy partner of the IND) to request they complete a statement to confirm whether the company has any connections with Bela(Russian) mother companies.

April 4, 2022

On 11 April 2022, the Intra-Company Transfer and Intra-Company Graduate Trainee routes are being replaced by two new Global Business Mobility routes. Further guidance on the transitional arrangements to ease the introduction of these new routes has now been published.

March 31, 2022

On March 29, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced three measures that seek to reduce wait times, expand premium processing to additional form types, and streamline the process for those waiting for employment authorization documents.

March 25, 2022

From 1 July 2022, certain short-term 482 and 457 visa holders will have a pathway to permanent residency in Australia. Grandfathering provisions have also been preserved for legacy 457 visa holders.