Immigration newsletter 25 Jan 2012

We remind you yet again that from 1 July 2012 you will have to submit an expression of interest before submitting your Australian skilled immigration application. This is likely to mean fewer people qualifying for skilled immigration and a longer processing time. If you wish to come under the current skilled immigration programme you should apply for a skills assessment as soon as possible.  You need to be ready with your skills assessment and, have passed the English language test before you can submit your immigration application.

UK immigration has issued new information regarding inspections and reviews for Tier 4 student visa sponsors. There are also major changes coming to the Tier 4 and Tier 1 visas. In particular these changes are likely to affect those looking to sponsor international students under Tier 4 of the Points Based System.

Tier 1 Post-study work will be closed from 1 April 2012. UK immigration will still offer visas through Tier 2 of the points-based system for graduates. In most cases only graduates who have an offer of a skilled job from a sponsoring employer under Tier 2 of the points-based system will be able to stay and work in the UK.

A breakdown of communication between immigration officials led to the "lighter touch" UK immigration officers used at passport and visa checks last year, a Parliamentary inquiry has said. The report said that a "highly troubling" lack of supervision led to passport and visa controls being relaxed far too frequently.

However, despite these issues, the committee insisted that the pilot scheme that allowed immigration officials the freedom to make risk-based checks at UK ports "appears to have been a success" and "commends the effort to make a more targeted use of staff in this period of staff reductions".

Christchurch in Canterbury, New Zealand is facing a severe shortage of chefs, prompting Hospitality New Zealand to add chefs to the Canterbury Skills Shortage list. Restaurants re-opening after the quakes are desperate for high level staff, but many chefs were forced to leave the city after the February earthquake for jobs overseas or in other New Zealand cities.

A new immigration group was launched in Canada last week comprising of local service providers, health care representatives, business people and politicians. The new Immigration Partnership Council will help immigrants and refugees integrate into Canadian life. The organization aims to help immigrants and refugees settle, work and integrate into the community.

US President Obama announced last week that "America is open for business" and detailed a new approach the country is planning to take in order to make it easier for foreign visitors from certain Countries to travel to the US in an effort to boost tourism and create jobs.

The US also plans to reduce the time it takes for travelers from China and Brazil to get visas to the US. The US would also eliminate the need for Taiwanese passport holders to get US visas to visit the country.

Two-thirds of college students plan to emigrate after graduating from school in Ireland, according to a new survey released last month by Student Marketing Network. The survey cites better job opportunities as one of the main reasons for leaving Irelan.