Immigration newsletter 08 May 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 Tier 4 student visa or Tier 2 Visa. The UK Tier 1 Entrepreneur scheme may also be an option. Why not contact the London office for further details.

UK Immigration Solicitor needed - Call the UK office on 0344 991 9222

UK immigration announces end to Tier 1 General visa extensions

From 6 April 2015 UK immigration will no longer accept applications for Tier 1 (General) visa extensions.

The Tier 1 (General) visa allowed highly skilled migrants to live and work in the UK for any employer.

The UK stopped issuing new Tier 1 (General) visas in 2011 but has allowed those with existing visas to extend them. Visa holders whose current visa expires before 6th April 2015 should apply for an extension in the usual way.

White House: US immigration 'will authorize employment for H-1B spouses'

The White House has announced a proposal to allow the spouses of some foreign workers on H-1B temporary work visas to work while in the US. Further details should be released by the Department of Homeland Security within the next few days.

The White House proposals are designed to make the US a more attractive destination for foreign-born entrepreneurs and skilled workers.

President Obama had promised to introduce measures to assist entrepreneurs during his State of the Union address in January. It appears that this is now happening and helpful changes to the US visa system will occur very soon.

UK admits £500m immigration system cannot count immigrants

The UK government has admitted that a £500m system intended to calculate immigration numbers doesn’t work.

The e-Borders programme was first announced by Tony Blair in 2003. Mr Blair said it could be used to calculate immigration numbers.

It has now emerged that the system does not record information about how long travellers intend to stay in the country. Therefore, the system cannot differentiate between tourists and immigrants. The Home Office says it would be against EU law to ask EU citizens how long they intended to stay.

London Mayor: UK should grant immigration amnesty

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has called on the UK government to grant an amnesty to all illegal immigrants who have been in the country for ten years.

Mr Johnson said the alternative was that illegal immigrants would continue to live and work in the UK without paying tax.

It is believed that there are between 750,000 and 1,000,000 illegal immigrants in the UK, most of them in London. Mr Johnson added that the UK government's attempts to reduce legal immigration were 'crazy' and were harming Britain.

New Zealand immigration hits 11-year high

Net immigration to New Zealand rose to 31,900 in the year to March 2014, the highest figure for eleven years. The highest numbers of immigrants came from China, India and the UK.

Around 3,000 Chinese nationals were issued with investor visas which allow wealthy businesspeople who invest either NZ$1.5m or $10m to gain residency. They can also bring their spouses and dependent children.

New Zealand has been actively seeking immigrants for some years. New Zealand needs more people. Because of low birth rates and high emigration levels natural population growth is insufficient for New Zealand’s needs.

Canadian immigration calls for end to TFWP

A Canadian academic has called on the federal government to close the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and, instead, to grant more permanent residence visas to international workers.

Professor David Green of the University of British Columbia, says that the Temporary Foreign Worker Program disadvantages foreign workers, who can only work for one named employer. The employer he says is therefore able to pay them low wages. This he claims disadvantages both the foreign worker and Canadian workers who are undercut by low-wage competition. These views are perhaps somewhat controversial.