Immigration newsletter 09 May 2007

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on May 4th that the H-1B exemption quota has been reached. No petitions received after April 30th will be considered. People may be sponsored for an H-1B visa for the 2009 fiscal year beginning on April 1st, 2008.

The mayor of London, Ken Livingston, took sides last week in the HSMP visa debate. Changes to the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme were made retrospectivly last November. People already granted an HSMP visa need to meet the new criteria if they wish to obtain an HSMP extension. Mr. Livingston is urging the government to reverse the retrospective application of the changes. Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said that he would "reflect" on the situation at the end of March this year, but has not since offered any indication as to whether there will be any change in current policy.

Strangers Into Citizens, a London-based advocacy group, held a rally in London on Monday, 07 May to draw attention to their proposals to help solve part of the illegal immigration problem in Britain. The organization is asking that the government grant work permits to some and "regularise" them into the labor force. 

Such people would need to show they have been in the UK for more than four years, have no criminal record, can pass an English language test, and will need an employer willing to sponsor them for a work permit. Between half a million and one million illegal immigrants are estimated to be in the UK. Estimates are that 300,000 to 500,000 might be eligible for a six-year "pathway to citizenship" under the proposals.

The emigration rate from the Netherlands is increasing faster then the rate of immigration into the country. At the same time, the birth rate has been falling. As more Dutch retire from the labor force, not enough people are entering back into it to replace them. For many years, Holland has had some of the most restrictive immigration laws in Europe. The government is considering changes to make immigration easier in hopes of attracting more skilled, professional workers into their economy.

Immigration increased by 30% from 2005 to 2006 for Norway, reaching a new record level. About 46,000 people came to Norway in 2006, a country of 4.6 million with one of the highest standards of living in the world. The United Nations has rated Norway the "best" place to live in the world for six years in a row.

The Russian Parliament is proposing a Russian language test as a requirement to obtain a work permit in Russia. Workers staying for a year or longer will need to pass the test. Workers employed by foreign companies would be exempt. People will be allowed to stay in Russia, but they will not be allowed to obtain a work permit if they fail the test. They may re-take the test under the proposal.

Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship has increased the quota for the Skilled Migration Stream. 5,000 additional subclass 457 visas are now available for the 2007-2008 fiscal year. There has been unusually high demand for this visa. At current rates, there may be up to a 35% increase in demand for 457 visas in the IT sector this year. 

Despite the worst drought in 100 years, the Australian economy surprised everyone by turning in a 2.8% growth rate for the 4th quarter of 2006. Businesses are competing to bring in enough skilled workers to keep up with the boom.