Immigration Insights

February 9, 2022

In February 2022, the Minister for Safe and Legal Migration introduced a concession to the Immigration Rules, benefiting the fisheries sector, which allows foreign national workers employed by approved companies owning or operating well boat vessels in UK territorial seas to be considered for a grant of leave to enter for a period not extending beyond 8 February 2023 and for a period up to six months at a time.

February 4, 2022

On 21 January, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address national interest waivers for advanced degree professionals or persons of exceptional ability. This update clarifies how the national interest waiver can be used by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates and entrepreneurs.

January 26, 2022

On 21 January 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated the USCIS Policy Manual with additional guidance on how USCIS evaluates eligibility for the O-1A “extraordinary ability” visa category. O-1A visas are reserved for individuals with an extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics.

January 25, 2022

On 24 January 2022, the UK Home Office released an update to the UK immigration rules to add care workers to the Shortage Occupation List and make the role eligible for the Skilled Worker route. These changes are aimed at helping to alleviate current pressures on the health and social care system as a result of COVID-19.

January 25, 2022

Effective 21 January 2022, Venezuelan citizens were removed from Mexico’s visa waiver regime and now require a visa to enter Mexico. As such, Venezuelan nationals traveling to Mexico for business or tourism will require a Visitor Visa prior to entering the country.

January 11, 2022

On 7 October 2021, the European Council adopted the Revised EU Blue Card Directive with the intent to streamline and harmonize the current EU Blue Card infrastructure throughout the region. Although long heralded as a premier immigration option for the European Union to attract highly-skilled non-EU nationals, the program has faced frequent criticism for being overly complicated, having inconsistent regulations in different member states, and, in some cases, providing only limited advantages compared to national work and residence authorization schemes.

January 10, 2022

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, China has required visa applicants to possess a Foreign Affairs Office Invitation, sometimes known as the ‘PU’ letter. Companies seeking these letters are encountering extended delays, high-rejections, and difficulties with dependents. Newland Chase, through our sister company CIBTvisas, offers a simpler, faster solution. If your organization qualifies, we can secure your PU letter in as few as 10-12 business days.

January 6, 2022

The Home Office has updated its Youth Mobility Scheme guidance to reflect that Iceland and India have the joined the scheme as of 1 January 2022.  Iceland will have an allocation of 1,000 places in 2022 and India will be allocated 3,000 places.

January 6, 2022

As of 30 December 2021, Appendix D to the full policy guidance on sponsoring a Worker or Temporary Worker, or sponsoring a Student, has been updated to reflect the introduction of eVisas (a digital version of a visa containing immigration status information) and the associated changes to the right to work check documentary retention requirements.

January 1, 2022

As 2022 gets underway and the Omicron variant surges throughout the world, international travel continues to see rapidly changing requirements, protocols, and entry restrictions. While trends remain temporary in nature, many countries have either introduced new or changed restrictions, or extended the current ones into January 2022. It is anticipated that new and extended restrictions will continue into at least early 2022 and beyond if Omicron continues to be a major concern.

December 29, 2021

Beginning February 1, 2022, individuals applying for new Long-Term Passes, Work Passes, and Permanent Residence, as well as renewals of any existing Work Passes will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

December 29, 2021

Effective through December 31, 2022, the U.S. State Department has authorized consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for select groups of visa applicants.

December 21, 2021

On Dec. 15, 2021, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) extended the flexibility previously afforded to the Form I-9 compliance rules regarding physical document inspection through April 30, 2022.

December 21, 2021

From 6 April 2022, individuals in possession of Biometric Residence Permits (BRP), Biometric Residence Cards (BRC), or Frontier Worker Permits (FWP) will evidence their right to work in the UK exclusively via the Home Office online checking service.

December 21, 2021

As 2021 comes to an end, Newland Chase revisits new UK visa routes announced earlier this year and that are due to open in Spring 2022. These include “Scale-Up” visa, “High Potential Individual” visa and “Global Business Mobility” visa.

December 16, 2021

The UAE authorities have announced a new penalty structure for immigration non-compliance relating to visa issuance, renewal, and cancellations. The implementation date for these new consequences has yet to be announced by the UAE government, but is expected in the upcoming months.

December 16, 2021

As part of continued efforts to strengthen long-standing diplomatic ties, Switzerland and Australia have announced eased visa measures and new visa opportunities between their nations. Both countries will introduce these changes on 1 January 2022.

December 16, 2021

In an effort both to support work-life balance for employees and further align the country with the global economy, the UAE will make changes to the country’s public sector work week, effective 1 January 2022.

December 10, 2021

On 9 December 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will temporarily waive the requirement that the civil surgeon sign Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record within 60 days of filing an application for the underlying immigration benefit. This temporary waiver is effective immediately and will continue until 30 September 2022.

December 1, 2021

On 24 November 2021, the Federal Council of Switzerland announced that quotas will remain the same for new work permit applications submitted during the 2022 calendar year for non-European Union/European Free Trade Agreement (non-EU/EFTA) nationals (with a stay greater than four consecutive months/120 days per year) and service providers/seconded workers based in the EU/EFTA (also with a stay greater than four consecutive months/120 days per year).