Immigration newsletter 03 Nov 2010

A planned increase to UK immigration fees on 01 November 2010 has been delayed. The reason for the delay is unknown but it is expected that the fees will increase some time soon.

The fee increase will affect many in-country immigration applications, including Tier 1 (General) Highly Skilled Migrants, Tier 2 for Skilled Workers, UK settlement visas, and naturalisaion. 

You should hurry if you wish to apply for your visa and avoid the UK Government fee increases.

The UK Border Agency has started issuing Tier 1 (General) Visas again from 1 November 2010.

On 19 July 2010, the UK Government introduced an interim limit on the number of initial Tier 1 (General) Visa applications that can be issued each month; On 20 October 2010 the monthly limit had been reached and the UK Government stopped issuing Tier 1 (General) Visas.

Due to the new interim limit on Tier 1 (General) Visa applications, Tier 1 General Visa processing times are likely to go up in future.

The top three skilled worker occupations who came under the permanent skilled immigration visa programs in 2009-10 are Accountants, IT workers, and nurses.

According to the Report on Migration Program 2009-10, over 60 percent of skilled immigrants were applicants in categories targeted by the government as experiencing skills shortages, a 12 percent increase on the previous year.

Gordon Nixon, president of the Royal Bank of Canada, said that immigrants are one of Canada's greatest "competitive advantages" at a conference on innovation in Toronto.

"This is a country that to a large degree has been built by newcomers willing to take risks," Nixon said.

Executives from Honda, Toyota, and Nissan have attacked the UK Government's immigration cap on skilled and highly skilled Immigrants. They say that the measure has negative consequences for their industry.

The temporary immigration cap is due to become a permanent immigration cap in April 2011. Each month, the Government only allows a certain number of skilled immigrants into the UK.

KPMG, a global business consultancy firm, says that the ongoing boom in Australia has resulted in low unemployment and a demand for overseas skilled workers to fill gaps in the labor market - a trend that is likely to increase in the future.

According to their report entitled Skilled Migration Survey 2010, employers are being forced to increase their skilled migration intake to meet the demand for skilled workers.

Foreign specialists living in Russia may soon find it easier to bring in their families if a new immigration bill passes into law. If the changes go ahead Employers will find it easier to hire the workers they need to help fill skills shortages.

The Russian parliament has drafted new legislation which will allow the spouse of a foreign skilled worker to obtain a work visa for the same period of time as the primary visa holder spouse.