Immigration newsletter 21 Sep 2011

Firstly, if you are interested in immigration to the US it may be worth considering the US Green Card Lottery.  If you are successful you and your family will be able to live in the US on a permanent basis. The entry period starts on 4 October 2011.

The Law Society has criticised the UK Government's proposal to implement new restrictions on Tier 2 immigration. They feel that new limits would greatly reduce the ability of UK law firms to recruit international talent.

The UK Government is currently considering removing the Tier 2 visa as a visa category that leads to permanent residence after 5 years of residence in the UK. This is part of a wider review of UK immigration policy aimed at reducing immigration to the "tens of thousands" each year.

For most people, immigrating to the UK for work requires applying under the points-based system. People who work for international companies could come under the Tier 2 Intra-company Transfer route.

However, some people who are employed by a foreign business can immigrate to the UK as a 'representative of an overseas business'; You would not need to meet the requirements of the Tier 2 points based system in this situation.

On 17 September, Australia celebrated Citizenship Day; More than 4,000 people from 115 countries became Australian citizens at approximately 120 ceremonies across the Country.

"This year is a particularly special occasion, marking the 10th anniversary of Australian Citizenship Day, which is a great opportunity for people to reflect on the importance of the common bond of citizenship," said Immigration Minister Chris Bowen in a statement.

Kiwis living in the UK are worried that Britain may remove the right to apply for settlement (permanent residence) after living and working in the UK for five years.

The UK Government recently closed their consultation on whether to end routes to permanent residence for non-EU citizens working in the UK under various visas such as the Tier 2 visa for skilled workers.

During the next month in Calgary, Canadian Immigration will hold consultations on hiring temporary foreign workers, Canada's immigration minister announced.

"Over the summer, I held consultations across the country on our overall immigration levels," Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has stated that Canada's economic stability and continued growth are at risk if local governments are not given a greater say in helping to develop national immigration policies.

"This government has identified the economy as a number one priority, and we believe immigrants are an important piece of that," said Berry Vrbanovic, FCM president.