Immigration newsletter 04 May 2011

Tier 1 Post Study Work - The route to extending your visa & ILR (permanent residence).
Many post-study workers used to move on to Tier 1 status after their approval. Now that Tier 1 (General) has been withdrawn, a lot of people have been asking us how to extend their stays in the UK. The short answer is that it helps a lot to find the right employer quickly, as if you work with a company for 6 months, it can be easier for them to sponsor you for Tier 2 (General) status. 

Of course, most employers will not sponsor you, but many will, and we work with some of the best. These include consultancies that are prepared to sponsor staff working on client projects, so if you can command £250+ / day on a contract consulting basis, this can be a great way to start. If you are in a Tier 1 PSW visa, and have identified a client, send us your CV and details of the assignment, and we will help you take the next steps. After you get Tier 2 status, you may be eligible for ILR in 5 years. Its a long journey, so its as well to start as soon as possible!

The Australian government has reduced visa assessment levels for students from 38 countries, including India, whose students make up a large percentage of Australia's foreign student population.

The lower visa assessment levels went into effect on 2 April 2011. The new rules are in response to much lower student immigration levels in the last few years which has meant a huge reduction in student fee income for Australia's education sector.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has decided that the Central Institute and Polytechnic West should spearhead the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) in Western Australia. The AMEP is a special program designed to encourage English language training for migrants across Australia.

Western Australia has recently made a push for increased immigration to help head off gaps in its labour market.

The UK has implemented changes to the student immigration rules from 21 April 2011. There are now tougher Sponsorship and English language requirements for entry as a student. Also, fewer students will have the right to work legally in the UK.

The changes follow a public consultation and were put into effect to "deliver a strong migration system which tackles immigration abuse, while allowing genuine students to study at genuine colleges."

Former Canadian immigration minister Monte Solberg says that immigration solves many problems in Canada, including labour shortages.

"Immigration should be encouraged between India and Canada to build strong connections between the two nations," he said, adding that health care workers were in particular demand.

The Canadian province of Nova Scotia would like to double its intake of immigrants by 2020 to offset looming skills gaps as the working age population dwindles.

Nova Scotia will invest an extra $790,000 in attracting skilled migrants under a new immigration strategy introduced by Premier Darrell Dexter

Indian cuisine continues to increase in popularity around the world. Good opportunities exist for entrepreneurs and established Indian-based restaurant chains to establish themselves abroad in countries such as Canada and Australia. There is also demand closer to home in countries such as Malaysia and Singapore which have large Indian populations.

A 2010 National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) report said that many Indian companies are looking to expand abroad. There is considerable demand for Indian food in countries such as the US, Canada, the UK, and Singapore.

In keeping with European Union law, Germany has opened its borders to eight central and eastern European countries (the A8 Countries) that joined the 27-member bloc in 2004. The maximum period that Germany and the other EU Countries can keep restrictions on free movement of workers from other EU Countries is seven years. Since 1 May 2011 citizens from the A8 countries have been able to work in Germany and Austria.