Immigration Insights

October 1, 2018

The Swiss Federal Council has decided to increase the work permit quotas for 2019. The quotas are imposed on a national, rather than per-company, basis, on long-term B permits and short-term L permits. B permits are valid for up to five years and are renewable.

October 1, 2018

Effective 1 October 2018, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has begun implementing its 28 June 2018 policy memorandum, prioritising the removal of foreign nationals from the United States on the basis of public safety, in compliance with Executive Order 13768.

September 27, 2018

The Supreme Court of India today upheld the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar scheme, while also striking down several contentious provisions of the Aadhaar Act.

September 27, 2018

Effective immediately, Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) officials at the Moscow migration office in Sakharovo are neither checking nor registering work permit applications on the day of submission, due to technical difficulties.

September 27, 2018

Effective immediately, Iraq’s Ministry of Interior (MOI) requires companies that do not have a waiver from the Prime Minister’s Office to pay a security deposit of IQD 100,000 for each visa applicant to obtain a visa Letter of Approval (LOA).

September 25, 2018

The e-FRRO system for online registration and visa-related services has been extended to Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar. Plus, an Indian electronic visa (e-Visa), whether for tourism, business or medical purposes, can now be used up to three times in a single calendar year.

September 24, 2018

Effective 21 September 2018, amendments to the immigration rules in Luxembourg have streamlined the documentary requirements for applications for authorisation to stay for locally-hired non-EEA (third-country) workers.

September 24, 2018

Discover the latest immigration news and updates from around the globe with your weekly newsletter from Newland Chase. In this week’s edition, we bring you news from Hong Kong, Brazil and the UK. Plus there are updates from Luxembourg and Greece.

September 21, 2018

Effective 19 September 2018, the Hong Kong government has revised its immigration policy to allow a same-sex spouse or civil partner, or an opposite-sex civil partner, in a foreign legally-recognized relationship with an eligible sponsor, to apply for a dependent visa.

September 20, 2018

The federal Police in Brazil are currently implementing a new internal IT system (SISMIGRA) to replace the previous one (SINCRE).

September 20, 2018

Effective 12 September 2018, new fees ("stamp duty") are applicable in Greece to non-EU nationals applying for various categories of residence permit.

September 20, 2018

On 18 September 2018, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published its much-anticipated report on the impact of migration to the UK from the European Economic Area (EEA).

September 19, 2018

A look at the business climate and corporate immigration system of South Africa and evaluation of the opportunities for companies expanding internationally. The fourth edition in Newland Chase's 'Going Global' series.

September 17, 2018

Effective 1 Oct 2018, third-country nationals working in the Netherlands with an intra-corporate transfer permit can perform self-employed activities alongside the main working activities for which their residence permit in the Netherlands has been initially granted, according to a recent decree.

September 17, 2018

Discover the latest immigration news and updates from around the globe with your weekly newsletter from Newland Chase. In this week’s edition, we bring you news from Australia, the Netherlands, the EU, Slovakia and Singapore. Plus there are updates from Argentina, Philippines, and Portugal.

September 17, 2018

A general strike called by several large trade unions for 24 and 25 September in protest at the government’s economic policy is expected to affect services provided by the National Immigration Office, the National Civil Registry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs among others.

September 14, 2018

Decree Law no. 9/2018, published on 11 September 2018 and effective 1 October 2018, implements the latest amendments to the immigration law in Portugal, which in turn were published on 28 August 2017.

September 14, 2018

On 9 July 2018, the Official Journal of the European Union (EU) published Directive (EU) 2018/957 of 28 June 2018, amending Directive 96/71/EC concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services.

September 13, 2018

The Bureau of Immigration in the Philippines has issued a "Note With Recommendation" warning that it has run out of the visa stickers that are usually issued for the extension of temporary visitor or 9(a) visas (“TV Sticker”).

September 13, 2018

A trade deal between eleven Pacific Rim countries is set to be ratified by the Australian Government, after support for the deal was raised by the Labor Party.