Global Immigration Services < Resources

December 21, 2010
UNITED KINGDOM | Tier 1 (General) Overseas Closed & New Tier 2 (General) Interim Cap Set
The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has announced that no more Tier 1 (General) overseas applications will now be accepted. The limit set under the interim cap has been reached, and the route as a whole will be closed when the permanent cap comes into force on 5 April 2011. In addition, the UKBA has announced an amended interim limit for Tier 2 (General), to be in force until 5 April 2011.

December 17, 2010
SWEDEN | Extended Processing Times and New Procedures for 2011
The Swedish immigration authorities are planning to bring in new procedures for corporate work authorization applications from January 2011. In the meantime, and as we approach Christmas and New Year, processing times in Sweden particularly are considerably longer than usual.

December 10, 2010
NETHERLANDS | 2011 Minimum Salary Levels for Knowledge Migrants Announced
The Dutch immigration authority (Immigratie end Naturalisatiedienst, or "IND") has announced the new minimum salary levels for Knowledge Migrant Programme (highly skilled) applicants for 2011.

December 9, 2010
INDIA | Project Visas Introduced and Minimum Salary Clarified
Pro-Link GLOBAL recently alerted our clients to the fact that a special project visa was in the pipeline, and also to the removal of the 1% quota, or cap, for employment visas provided the visa holder was earning at least $25,000USD per annum. We are now able to provide more details of the project visa as well as some recently issued clarifications around the minimum salary requirement.

December 8, 2010
SWITZERLAND | 2011 Quotas Announced
The Swiss government has just announced the allocation of its immigration quota for 2011. Thekey differenceto previous years is that, effective 1 January 2011, the quota will be split between European Union(EU)/European Free Trade Association (EFTA) nationals and non-EU nationals, as well as between short term (from 4 to 12 months) “L” permits and long term (over 12 months) “B” permits.

December 7, 2010
UNITED KINGDOM | Tier 1 – December Limit Reached
The limit for Tier 1 (General) applications made outside the UK has been reached for the month of December. Applications may still be submitted but will not be approved until 4 January (after the New Year holiday).

December 7, 2010
AUSTRALIA | Increased Salary Requirement for Employer Nomination Scheme Applications
The Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC) of Australia has issued a notification stating that the required salary for Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) applicants who are applying on the basis of their salary has been raised from $165,000AUD/year to $250,000AUD/year, effective immediately.

December 2, 2010
BELGIUM | Minimum Salary Levels for 2011 Announced
As many of our readers may know, one of the criteria for a successful work permit (Type B) application in Belgium is a salary that meets a certain, specified minimum level. This level is adjusted each calendar year. New minimum salary levels for 2011, to be effective from 1 January 2011, have now been announced.

November 25, 2010
NEW ZEALAND | New Immigration Act Comes Into Force 29 November 2010
New Zealand’s new immigration act comes into force on 29 November 2010. The new Act modernizes New Zealand’s immigration laws but does not make major changes to the criteria under which people travel to and stay in New Zealand.

November 25, 2010
P.R. CHINA | Updated Residence Permit Amendment Requirements | Change of Process in Shenzhen
Several cities have updated their requirements for timely notifications when residence permit details (such as residential address, or passport number) change. Additionally, corporate immigration processes in Shenzhen are now taking approximately three weeks longer to complete, due to increased scrutiny of applications.

November 23, 2010
UNITED KINGDOM | Breaking News - UK Government Announcement on First Annual Limit
The UK Home Secretary, Theresa May, made a key speech today setting out the UK government's policy on the UK immigration caps. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), published its report on proposed limits to Tiers 1 and 2 of the Points Based System last week, 18 November 2010. The Home Secretary's speech today was a response to the MAC report and a statement of government policy.

November 22, 2010
LUXEMBOURG | Extensive New Medical
Immigration authorities in Luxembourg have introduced an extensive new medical requirement for all non-European Union national residence permit applicants. The new rules were first implemented in September 2010 and are now being universally requested of all residence permit applicants in place of the previous, simpler, medical test (“Certificat provisoire rose”).

November 19, 2010
NETHERLANDS | Modern Migration Policy Delayed
The Dutch immigration authority (Immigratie end Naturalisatiedienst, or "IND") has announced that the implementation of its new procedures - the modern Migration Policy - will be delayed and will not be launched in January 2011 as originally planned.

November 18, 2010
UNITED KINGDOM | MAC Report on Limits to Tiers 1 and 2 Published
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), the independent advisory body on migration to the UK government, has published its report on proposed limits to Tiers 1 and 2 of the Points Based System. The UK Border Agency has indicated that it has reviewed the report in detail and will be announcing the details of the revised policy shortly.

November 10, 2010
UNITED KINGDOM | Tier 1 - November Limit Reached
The limit for Tier 1 (General) applications made outside the UK has been reached for the month of November. Applications may still be submitted but will not be approved until 1 December.

October 26, 2010
NETHERLANDS | Delays at the IND
The Dutch immigration authority (Immigratie end Naturalisatiedienst, or “IND”) is reporting a high volume of Knowledge Migrant Program residence permit applications, which has resulted in an increase in processing times, from around two to three weeks to approximately four weeks.

October 21, 2010
UNITED KINGDOM | Tier 1 - Biometrics Required for Extensions | October Limit Reached
The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has announced that from 14 December 2010, the biometric residence permit system will be rolled out for extensions under Tiers 1 and 5 of the Points Based System. In addition, the October cap for Tier 1 (General) applications has been reached, meaning that no more Tier 1 (General) applications from outside the UK can now be approved until 1 November.

October 19, 2010
POLAND | Visa and Permit Waiver for Short Term Assignments
Polish government authorities have agreed on a complete waiver of immigration requirements for certain, short term assignments. Assignees coming to Poland as intra company transfers for under 30 days in a 12 month period, and who are visa waiver nationals for the Schengen area, will now no longer require work permits or visas for Poland.

October 19, 2010
TURKEY | New Criteria for Work Permit Applications | Online System Delays
Turkey has implemented a new law (4817, article 13) with respect to evaluation criteria for work permit applications. The new criteria, effective immediately, put in place a quota system for work permits, a capital requirement for the sponsoring company and minimum salary requirement and come on top of the previous changes to the process made in February this year.

October 15, 2010
Pro-Link GLOBAL - Winners at the EMMAs!
David beat Goliath in New York on 4 October as Pro-Link GLOBAL knocked KPMG out of the finals for the Expatriate Management and Mobility Awards (EMMAs).

October 6, 2010
INDIA | 1% Quota for Employment Visas Removed
Pro-Link GLOBAL clients will know that regulations around employment visas in India have changed multiple times in recent months. The Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi has just issued a new "Frequently Asked Questions" sheet which sets out the regulations again with a significant change: the removal of the 1% quota on the employment of foreign workers and the introduction of a minimum salary.

September 30, 2010
UNITED KINGDOM | Government Fee Increase
The UK government has announced an unexpected mid-year fee rise for several immigration applications. New fees are scheduled to come into effect from 1 October 2010 (tomorrow) and from November 2010. The November fee changes are significant and will affect most employers of foreign nationals in the UK.

September 28, 2010
NETHERLANDS | Change in Procedure for Highly Skilled Residence Permit Issuance | Modern Migration Policy
The Dutch immigration authority (Immigratie en Naturalisatiedienst, or "IND") has issued a newsletter announcing a change to the issuance of provisional residence permits (MVVs) for highly skilled migrants (also known as "knowledge migrants"). Additionally, the Modern Migration Policy, to take effect from 1 January 2011, has been announced.

September 28, 2010
Pro-Link GLOBAL - Getting Ready for the EMMAs
As many of our clients will know, Pro-Link GLOBAL has been shortlisted as a nominee in two categories for the Expatriate Mobility Management Awards (EMMAs) in New York. The awards ceremony will be held at the Global Mobility Summit on Monday 4 October at the Hudson Theatre in New York - we will be there and we look forward to meeting those of our partners and clients who will also be present.

September 10, 2010
P.R. CHINA | Change Of Status In Shanghai | F Visa Invitation Letters Required In L.A. | Delays In Beijing
There have been several changes in the last week or so to Chinese immigration rules. Some foreign national assignees going to Shanghai may now change status to work permit holder after arriving on a business or tourist visa. This alert also looks at recent delays in Beijing, as well as a new requirement for invitation letters at the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles.

September 6, 2010
CANADA | Medical List Amended | Alberta Puts Two Immigration Programs on Hold
Canadian Immigration Services has published an amended list of countries whose nationals require medicals before immigration to Canada. Forty five countries have been removed from the list, including Mexico. Previously, Mexican nationals seeking visas to Canada for a stay exceeding six (6) months required a medical exam to be completed as part of the application.

August 20, 2010
INDIA | New Guidelines for Employment and Business Visas
The Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi has issued a new set of guidelines for employment and business visas, in the form of a "Frequently Asked Questions" or "FAQ" sheet. The main points of the new guidelines are summarized below.

August 20, 2010
CANADA | Changes from April 2011 Limit Work Permit Duration & Emphasize Employer Compliance | REMINDER: End to Facilitated Process for IT Workers
Citizenship and Immigration Canada has recently announced important amendments, to take effect from 1 Apirl 2011, to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. These changes will have a significant effect on both employers and foreign workers currently accessing the program. The changes will not take effect until 1 April immigration compliance years.

July 22, 2010
UNITED KINGDOM | Further Details on Interim Cap and Changes to Tiers 1 and 2
As Pro-Link GLOBAL clients know, from our Global Brief of 29 June 2010, the UK government has introduced caps, or quotas, for UK immigration approvals. Full details of the cap will not be announced until September 2011, but in the meantime, an interim cap for Tier 1 and Tier 2 (General) has been introduced, effective 19 July 2010 until 31 March 2011.

July 16, 2010
SWITZERLAND | Quota in Schaffhausen Closed for EU17/EFTA Workers
Pro-Link GLOBAL has received information today from the Swiss authorities that quotas for EU17/EFTA nationals in the canton of Schaffhausen are closed until the end of this year. The canton will not issue any more approvals until 2011 for EU17/EFTA nationals on long term (longer than four months) assignment to Switzerland.

July 16, 2010
MALAYSIA | Letter of Undertaking: New Requirement for High Earners
Effective 12 July, the Malaysian immigration authorities require a signed Letter of Undertaking in support of first time and renewal Employment Pass applications for those earning salary (excluding allowances) of 8000MYR (ringgits) or over per month (8000MYR = approximately $2495USD or €1930EUR).

July 9, 2010
INDIA | Quota Removed | Improved Renewal Process | New F(R)RO Requirements
The Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi has backtracked on its quota system. The ceiling on employment visa applications for companies hiring foreign nationals in India has been removed for all industry sectors. Additionally, the renewal process in major cities has been simplified. However, some new requirements have been introduced for F(R)RO registrations.

June 30, 2010
CANADA | Restrictions to Federal Skilled Worker Route
Citizenship and Immigration Canada has announced a number of changes to one of its routes to permanent residency, the Federal Skilled Worker class. The changes, which are effective immediately, include limiting qualifying experience to 29 specific, in-demand occupations, capping applications at 20,000 per year, and tightening the language fluency requirement by making language tests mandatory.

June 30, 2010
AUSTRALIA | July 1 Changes
The Australian Department of Immigration & Citizenship is introducing several important corporate immigration changes effective July 1, 2010. These include increased salary requirements, a change in how occupations are classed (and therefore skills assessed), and increased government fees. A summary of the changes follows.

June 29, 2010
UNITED KINGDOM | Quotas Introduced
Just six weeks after the UK elected a new coalition government on 6 May 2010, significant changes to the UK's immigration system, which will affect corporate employers, have been announced. The Home Secretary, Theresa May, has announced a cap on the number of non European Union workers permitted to enter the UK. This will affect both Tier 1 and Tier 2 of the Points Based System.

June 17, 2010
INDIA | Bangladesh Removed from Prior Reference Category
The Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi has removed Bangladesh from the Prior Reference Category List, effective immediately.

June 8, 2010
HONG KONG | Limited Same Day Approval for In Country Applications
Effective 1 June 2010, the Hong Kong Immigration Department (HKID) has introduced a cap on the number of in-country applications, including extension of stay applications, that it will process on a same day basis.

June 4, 2010
SOUTH AFRICA | Applications Centralized | South African Police Clearance Required
The Department of Home Affairs in South Africa has announced two key changes for temporary residence applications: 1) all in-country applications for temporary residence permits must be routed through Pretoria, and 2) all temporary residence permit applicants who have lived in South Africa for 12 months or more since the age of 18 must submit a South African police clearance.

June 1, 2010
CANADA | End to Facilitated Processing for IT Workers
Citizenship and Immigration Canada has announced an end, effective 30 September 2010, in all provinces of Canada other than Quebec, to the facilitated processing that has been in place to date for workers in the Information Technology (IT) industry

May 31, 2010
INDIA | Preferential Criteria for IT Industry Employment Visas
The Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi has issued an announcement that gives preferential treatment to Information Technology (IT) and IT enabled services (ITes) industries wishing to bring foreign nationals to India on employment visas.

May 28, 2010
UNITED KINGDOM | Priority Processing for Visa Applications from the U.S.
From next Tuesday, June 1, British Consulates in the U.S. are introducing a "priority processing" route for visa applications. Detailed information is yet to be announced, but Pro-Link GLOBAL has worked directly with the UK Consulate in Los Angeles to provide you with this advance alert.

May 27, 2010
RUSSIA | Simplified Procedures for Highly Skilled Workers
The Russian parliament has approved a new decree that promises significant and positive change for companies bringing foreign nationals into Russia. Immigration procedures for foreign nationals earning over 2 million rubles (approximately $65,000USD or €53,000EUR) a year will be significantly quicker and less administratively burdensome for the employer.

May 19, 2010
AUSTRALIA | New Skills Occupation List (SOL) Announced | Temporary Skilled Migration Categories Suspended | Re-Jig of Permanent Migration Planning Lev
The Migration Institute of Australia announced the long-awaited new Skills Occupation List (SOL) for General Skilled Migration (GSM) this week. The new SOL takes effect from 1 July 2010. The 457 list and the ENS (company sponsored migration) list have not changed and therefore the majority of our corporate clients will not be affected. A summary of the changes follows.

May 5, 2010
SWITZERLAND | Delays Likely in Zürich
Zürich's immigration authorities (Migrationsamt) made the headlines this week after a story regarding unprofessional behavior by senior staff within the authority was leaked. The matter is being investigated and, since the accusations have been made not only against the head of the authority but also his ten most senior staff, we expect significant delays in processing time in Zürich.

May 3, 2010
MEXICO | New Immigration System
Today is the first business day since Mexico's new Visa Manual took effect on 1 May 2010. The new Visa Manual sees significant changes to Mexico's immigration processes which Pro-Link GLOBAL anticipates will take some time to implement fully. At the time of writing this Global Brief, Mexican diplomatic posts in the U.S. and elsewhere were not yet uniformly applying the new regulations.

April 28, 2010
SWITZERLAND | New Quotas Available From 1 July 2010
The Swiss government has announced the opening of new federal quotas for foreign nationals employed or on assignment in Switzerland. An additional 4500 spaces for short term ("L") permits have been approved, and an additional 1000 spaces for long term ("B") permits.

April 28, 2010
INDIA | Justification Letter Requirement
Effective immediately, all applications for employment visas to India must be supported by a "justification letter" from the Indian employer.

April 22, 2010
WORLDWIDE | Volcano Ash - Visa Impact
How a volcano in Iceland can impact your visa status across the world.

January 16, 2010
CZECH REPUBLIC: March 01, 2010 is THE deadline
Czech authorities have instituted new health insurance requirements for foreign nationals, including both short-term visitors staying in Czech Republic for 90 days or less and long-term residents. The new requirements took effect on January 1, 2010 and apply to foreign nationals seeking entry and those who already reside in Czech Republic.

January 14, 2010
INDIA: "E" Visa Consular Process Changes
Indian Employment Visa applications continue to become increasingly complex, as the India Consulate in the U.S.A adds more forms to an already convoluted process.

January 1, 2010
SWITZERLAND: Slashes "B" Quota for 2010
Each year, the Schweizerischer Bundesratil or Swiss Federal Council which is is the seven-member executive council which constitutes the federal government of Switzerland, fixes work permit quotas for the following year

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