Immigration Insights

November 18, 2021

The Swiss Federal Council recently announced that Croatian citizens will be granted full freedom of movement beginning on January 1, 2022. This change will put Croatian nationals on equal terms with EU/EFTA nationals. As such, as of January 1, 2022, they will be allowed to follow the streamlined EU/EFTA national immigration process.

November 17, 2021

Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, T.D., has announced improvements to holiday travel allowances and to citizenship applications.

November 17, 2021

Sri Lanka has officially increased the standard duration of their Employment and Dependent Residence Visas from the current two years to five years.

November 17, 2021

Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) announced new criteria for individuals vaccinated in the United States to prove their vaccination status and use the country’s Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs).

November 15, 2021

In September this year the Home Office issued a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules which will see a change to how applicants (and their dependants) for Student and Skilled Worker visas make their applications. The change will apply from 30 November 2021.

November 12, 2021

Amid continued political disputes between Lebanon and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior has temporarily suspended all new visa issuance for Lebanese citizens effective November 10, 2021.

November 12, 2021

After its original November 1, 2021 launch was delayed, New Zealand’s new Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme will now be introduced on July 4, 2022. As part of New Zealand’s recent efforts to increase the skill level of foreign workers, the AEWV program will streamline six current and previous work visa options into a simplified application system.

November 3, 2021

Effective 1 November 2021, the Malaysian authorities have opened the window for companies to submit their 2022 foreign worker projections. This is applicable to both companies registered with the Expatriates Services Division (ESD) online portal and companies registered with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) eXpats portal.

November 3, 2021

Effective 1 November 2021, fully-vaccinated and medically-exempt Australians will no longer require a travel exemption to depart Australia.

November 3, 2021

Effective 31 October 2021, Russian authorities amended the medical testing requirements for foreign nationals seeking work authorization in the country. Most notably, these new regulations now include visa-required Highly Qualified Specialist (HQS) Work Permit applicants.

November 2, 2021

A Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules published on, and effective from, 1 November 2021 amends the Seasonal Worker route for temporary workers to include those coming to conduct ‘specified pork butchery work’.

November 1, 2021

The Irish Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment announced changes to the occupation lists for non-EU/EEA/Swiss/UK nationals seeking to work in Ireland.

October 29, 2021

To advance the safe resumption of global travel during the COVID-⁠19 pandemic, on 25 October President Biden issued a Proclamation emphasizing the continued enhanced measures against the spread of the virus. Travel restrictions for foreign nationals traveling from China, Iran, the Schengen Area, the U.K., Brazil, Ireland, South Africa, and India, are to be relaxed and new travel requirements for travelers from all other countries imposed. The Proclamation applies to all travelers aboard flights scheduled to arrive in the United States that depart after 12:01 a.m. EST on 8 November, 2021.

October 21, 2021

Effective 15 November 2021, Malaysia’s Expatriation Services Division (ESD) will roll out new features to its online application platform for Employment Pass (EP) and Professional Visit Pass (PVP) filings. While preliminary guidelines for the platform have been announced, full guidance is expected from the ESD authorities prior to the system’s upcoming implementation.

October 20, 2021

On 13 October 2021, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published the conclusions of its study of the Intra-Company Transfer route (now known as the “Intra-company Route”). In its findings, the MAC has made a number of key recommendations to the Home Office.

October 20, 2021

The announcement regarding relaxation of the ban on travel to the U.S. from early November will bring relief to many travelers. The U.S. authorities have confirmed that regionally-based COVID-19 travel bans will be repealed and replaced by individual-based vaccination requirements as of 8 November 2021.

October 14, 2021

The White House has confirmed that the regionally-based COVID-19 travel bans will be repealed and replaced by individual-based COVID-19 vaccination requirements as of 8 November. Additionally, Department of Homeland Security has announced that “non-essential travelers who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and have appropriate documentation” will be allowed to enter the country via land and ferry ports of entry.

October 13, 2021

The Israeli Ministry of Interior (MOI) has increased the standard validity of the B-1 Short Employment Authorization (SEA) Visa from 45 to 90 days. Available to visa-waiver foreign experts only, the B-1 SEA Visa allows eligible foreign nationals to undertake urgent work requiring specialty expertise in Israel. The visa can be sponsored by both Israeli and foreign employers and is commonly used for machinery installation or repairs.

October 12, 2021

The New Zealand authorities recently introduced a new one-off Resident Visa scheme for eligible temporary and long-term work visa holders. Focusing on current resident foreign nationals whose primary purpose in the country is for work, the 2021 Resident Visa will allow holders to continue working and residing in New Zealand on a permanent basis.

October 6, 2021

Sopra Steria, which partners with the UK government to deliver services for people applying for a work or study visa, settlement or citizenship from within the UK, has announced it will be making several improvements to its UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) in the coming weeks.