Immigration newsletter 19 Feb 2014

Do you have a professional level contract in the UK paying at least £180 per day? If so, we can help you find a sponsor and obtain a UK Tier 2 (General) skilled worker visa. It is easier to switch if you already have a Tier 1 PSW visa or a Tier 4 student visa. The UK Tier 1 Entrepreneur scheme may also be an option. Why not contact the London office on 0344 991 9222 for further details.

Canadian Immigration to abolish Immigrant Investor Program

Citizenship and Immigration Canada has announced that the Immigrant Investor Program and the Federal Entrepreneur Program will be terminated. The two programs were once Canada's main investor and entrepreneur programs but both had been suspended for some time.

In a statement, CIC said that the move will 'eliminate a large and longstanding backlog of applications, and pave the way for new pilot programs that will actually meet Canada's labour market and economic needs'.

All outstanding applications will now be terminated and the application fees will be returned.

UK immigration minister resigns after employing illegal immigrant

The UK's immigration minister, Mark Harper MP, has resigned after employing an illegal immigrant as his cleaner for seven years.

Mr Harper said that he had done nothing illegal but said that as Immigration Minister he should hold himself to a higher standard than that expected in others.

Mr Harper helped draft the UK government’s immigration bill which will require landlords to check the immigration status of tenants. They will be fined if they rent property to people who are in the country illegally. Prime Minister David Cameron accepted Mr Harper's resignation 'with regret'.

Swiss referendum calls for introduction of immigration quotas

A referendum held in Switzerland has narrowly backed the introduction of tighter immigration controls. 50.3% of voters voted for the controls so, according to Swiss law, they must now be introduced. Polls had predicted that the new controls would be rejected.

The vote raises the possibility that the European Union will introduce sanctions against Switzerland because the new law will limit the freedom of EU citizens to live and work in Switzerland in breach of an EU-Swiss treaty.

US Republicans release 'Standards for Immigration Reform'

Senior US Republicans have released a list of principles behind any immigration reform legislation that they would back. They say they would support Reform which would prioritise employment-based immigration over family migration.

They also say that illegal immigrants who came to the US as children may be able to apply for US permanent residence and, eventually, citizenship if they complete a college degree or serve in the military.

But they say that illegal immigrants who arrived in the US as adults would not be able to apply for citizenship. They could, however, apply to become legal permanent residents if they had no criminal record.

BBC finds 'systematic fraud' in UK's student immigration system

An investigation by BBC television’s Panorama programme has found ‘systematic immigration fraud' in the UK’s Tier 4 student visa system.

The programme showed footage of immigration consultants offering to arrange for other people to take English language tests for visa applicants with poor English and to provide forged bank details and academic certificates.

The Home Office has since suspended all English language tests run by ETS, the world's biggest educational testing service and has also suspended the sponsorship licences of the two English language colleges involved.

Leading industrialist says UK immigration regime is killing UK engineering

Sir James Dyson, the founder of the Dyson technology company, best known for its vacuum cleaners, has slammed the UK's Coalition government for its immigration policy which, he says, is putting British jobs at risk.

Sir James says that in 2014, there will be 61,000 unfilled engineering positions in the UK. His own company needs 3,000 engineers but cannot find them.

He says that the UK must allow foreign engineering graduates who train at British universities to stay in the country to work. He says 'We ought to be encouraging them to stay, not waving them goodbye'.