Newsletter archive

The UK Home Office's increase in fees for immigration visas came into effect on 1 April 2005, with some fees more than doubling. Additionally in the UK, those with MBA degrees from the top 50 MBA schools will be eligible for work visas in the UK from April 2005. Workpermit.com will keep you updated as more news becomes available.

The UK released the much-anticipated requirements and application forms for the new HSMP, including the MBA provision. While the programme overall should attract new highly skilled managers to the UK, the programme is somewhat restrictive in that anyone who graduated before 2 December 2004, when the list of eligible schools was released, is not eligible.

Immigration in general in the UK has come into the spotlight due to the upcoming elections, with both the Labour and Conservative parties claiming they will push for tighter immigration laws. It remains to be seen how the retoric will affect voters when they go to the polls on May 5.

It's good news for highly skilled migrants wishing to move to Australia. The Government is currently reviewing its immigration numbers, and is said to be considering increasing immigration levels by an extra 20,000 places in 2005.

The past week has seen several countries take steps to improve their ability to attract the best and brightest immigrants to their workforce.

Canada has been the most recent. On 18 April, the Canadian government announced measures aimed at attracting more international students to their workforce. The first initiative will allow university students to work off-campus while studying, so that they can experience the Canadian labor market. The second will allow students to work for two years, rather than one year, upon graduation.

At the same time, Australia has opened its doors to more skilled migrants. The country hopes to attract an additional 20,000 in 2005-06. Also in Australia, starting in November 2005 Working Holiday Makers will be allowed to work for up to two years.

Meanwhile, we continue to monitor the immigration issue in the UK in light of the upcoming elections, which could have a...

The current debate in the UK over immigration has brought to light many truths about legal immigrants and their contribution to society. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, for instance, pointed out that foreign students studying in Britain bring some 5 billion GBP (about 9 billion US dollars) of earnings to the country every year. That means big business for the UK, and UK universities are worried about a proposed rise in fees for student visa applications, which could drive foreign students away.

Surveys and studies on the impact of immigration are not limited to the UK, where immigration has become a hot topic due to the upcoming elections. In Germany, a recent study by the German Economics Ministry finds that immigrants in Germany more often become self-employed, and employ an impressive one million others.

Workpermit.com educated and informed would-be immigrants this week with a special seminar at Spain?€™s...