Immigration Insights

May 10, 2018

Effective 1st May 2018, the minimum monthly salary required to qualify for a new EU Blue Card has increased, from CZK 39,700 to CZK 44,256 (about USD 2060), an increase of approximately 11.5%.

May 9, 2018

Starting in 2019, the new bilateral Youth Mobility Arrangement between Canada and Portugal will authorise up to 2,000 Canadian nationals aged 18 to 35 to live and work in Portugal, and up to 2,000 Portuguese nationals aged 18 to 35 to live and work in Canada for periods of up to two years.

May 9, 2018

When is a business visa enough, and when is a work or employment visa or permit required? A discussion of global corporate immigration requirements for companies and employees, and a list of permissible activities under business visas and work visas.

May 2, 2018

Effective 1st April 2018, EU Blue Card holders in the Netherlands whose employment is terminated are entitled to a “search period” of up to three months to find a new job as long as their residence permit card is still valid, in line with the three-month period available to highly skilled migrants.

May 2, 2018

The latest news on the status of the Skilling Australians Fund levy on employment visas pending in Parliament and its coming impact on companies employing foreign workers in Australia.

May 2, 2018

The government of Colombia has postponed until August the recently-announced requirement that anyone travelling by air within or out of Colombia accompanied by a minor child of seven years or under provide a copy of the child’s birth certificate.

April 30, 2018

On 25th April 2018, EU ambassadors confirmed an agreement has been reached between the Council Presidency and representatives of the European Parliament on the proposal for a European travel information and authorisation system (ETIAS).

April 26, 2018

From 9th May 2018 to 25th July 2018, increased security measures will be enforced in connection with the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the territory of eleven Russian cities. Failure to register in time may result in fines and possible deportation from Russia.

April 25, 2018

On 6 April 2018, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced they will be expanding the current Biometrics Program from summer 2018 to include most nationalities.

April 25, 2018

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) has recently issued a decision allowing Emirati and foreign national skilled workers to take multiple part-time jobs, under certain conditions.

April 25, 2018

Danish unions and state, regional and municipal employers are locked in ongoing negotiations on employment and salary conditions, faced with the threat of strike action by public sector workers from 8 May 2018, and a retaliatory “lockout” by employers from 12th May 2018.

April 25, 2018

It has been officially announced that Universal Jobmatch – a government website used by UK recruiters and Tier 2 licensed sponsors to advertise jobs – is being replaced by ‘Find a Job’ service.

April 20, 2018

The monthly allocation of the Tier 2 (General) Restricted Certificates of Sponsorship (RCoS) has been exceeded for the fifth consecutive month.

April 19, 2018

The Swiss Federal Council has decided to extend, for the year from 1 June 2018, the quota on Romanian and Bulgarian nationals (EU-2) of 996 long-term B permits, released quarterly.

April 19, 2018

On 13th April 2018, a draft law was introduced to the Russian parliament, proposing new powers to ban or restrict the employment of nationals of the United States and/or other countries imposing sanctions on Russia.

April 18, 2018

A look at the business climate and corporate immigration system of Singapore and evaluation of the opportunities for companies expanding internationally.

April 18, 2018

On 7 May, the Federal Ministry of Interior (FMI) is expected to launch a new online service, covering all aspects of the operations and workflow of its Citizenship and Business (C&B) department, which is expected to slow down the issuance of the grant and renewal of expatriate quota applications.

April 17, 2018

Effective from now, a residence card applicant in Madrid whose passport does not bear an entry stamp from Spanish border control must submit a statement of entry (“Declaración de entrada”), the only acceptable alternative to an entry stamp as proof of entry for residence card applications in Madrid.

April 17, 2018

Effective immediately, the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) requires engineers applying to renew or transfer their residence permits to present a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Kuwait Engineers Society (KES).

April 17, 2018

Effective 23rd May 2017, Bulgaria has passed amendments to the Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act.