Immigration newsletter 13 Dec 2006

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The Immigration and Nationality Directorate has announced new rules for people requesting permanent residence in the UK, effective from April 2007. Applicants will have to take the same "Life in the UK" test as persons applying for citizenship.

Australia's Prime Minister, John Howard is feeling pressure from members of Parliament to explain several points of the new Citizenship test, as put forward by his government. Passing the test will be one of the requirements for migrants aged between 18 and 60 to become Australian citizens, and will consist of 30 multiple choice questions about Australian history, government and mateship, as well as English language comprehension.

Italy's Prime Minister has decided to allow 50,000 more residence and work permits in the Lazio Region. According to the decree, 350,000 more residence permits were made available to non-EU citizens in 2006 for non-seasonal employment, 50,000 of which are reserved for the Lazio Region.

French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy called for a new special Ministry of Immigration to be set up, which "will be responsible for maintaining a resolute policy of firmness in the struggle against illegal immigration" if he is elected president. Illegal entrants expelled from France have doubled to about 20,000 for 2005, up from about 10,000 in 2002.

The European Union is attempting to develop a common strategy on migration control for people from African nations. Such plans would detail the quantity and type of labor EU members need, and list the skills and persons that African states can offer to fill those demands.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released a report calling for well-managed immigration flows to offer benefits both for host countries and for migrants. The OECD believes that there are benefits to host countries when immigrants have access to better educational and job opportunities.

Enhancements have been made to Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Units. The government is trying to make it easier, faster, and less costly for employers to hire temporary foreign workers, while at the same time safeguarding jobs for Canadian residents. A Regional List of Occupations Under Pressure is being developed and maintained for each region, which will be reviewed every six months and updated at least once per year.

The United States Supreme Court set a significant precedent last week ruling 8-1 in favor of an immigrant's right not to be automatically deported when charged with minor crimes. The Federal government must now prove a person has been convicted of an "aggravated felony" under Federal law before invoking automatic deportation under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Non-citizens are now ensured the right to argue before an immigration judge whether or not they should be allowed to remain in the country, based upon their overall record, family support or other circumstances.