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Welcome to Bulgaria and Romania, the newest members of the European Union. 22 million Romanians and 8 million Bulgarians became European Union citizens on 01 January 2007. The EU now consists of 27 Member States, and represents nearly half a billion citizens. Croatia may be allowed to join in 2010. Further EU expansion is highly controversial.

Farmers Branch, Texas is the latest U.S. city to enact tough local immigration laws, and it is also the latest city to face litigation over these laws. The controversial city council ordinance would require local landlords to verify the residency status of tenants or face penalties. Residents have filed a petition that will either lead to a public vote or the City Council repealing the law. At the...

We would like to extend a welcome to the two new member states, Bulgaria and Romania, to the European Union. Both nations started off their membership in style with historic New Years celebrations. 22 million Romanians and 8 million Bulgarians now formally increase the European population to nearly half a billion people.

Situated on the Black Sea, Romania has a rich history dating back to its formation as a nation in 1859. Romania played a significant role in both World Wars and was later controlled by the Soviet Union. The government of today is a semi-presidential democracy in which power is shared by three branches of government: the executive, legislative, and an independent judicial branch. Following a period of economic instability after the fall of communism, Romania's economy has stabilized significantly since 2000. There is low unemployment and high growth, but there is a large trade deficit, currently importing...

Highly skilled migrants in the United Kingdom organized a demonstration last week against recent changes to the HSMP. Changes on 07 November seventh last year are estimated by the organizers to affect up to 49,000 immigrants. Migrants already in the UK under HSMP visas must meet the new requirements of the updated points-based system to qualify for extensions.

The director of the National Training and Employment Authority, Rody Molloy, says that Ireland needs 500,000 immigrants in the coming decade to remain competitive. A comprehensive review of Ireland's immigration policy has begun in the Parliament, with a number of changes expected to be proposed and debated in the near future.

Top law enforcement officials of the European Union announced Monday that police of all Member States will have access to all EU national databases containing fingerprints, DNA samples and other biometric data. German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble said there...

The revised points-based system for the British HSMP visa is slightly different for a first time applicant compared to those already on HSMP applying for an extension. To help an applicant determine if they might successfully re-qualify under the new rules, workpermit.com has an HSMP Extension Calculator on our website.

In 2006 there were a number of significant changes to the immigration law in the United Kingdom. All those on employment-related categories and the Ancestry category now require five years of legal residence in the UK before being eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). Many more changes are expected this year as the UK continues to try to find a system that meets the needs of the UK economy and at the same time is politically acceptable.

EU justice and home affairs ministers announced their intent to create new temporary visas for nationals from African countries. The...

The number of builders and engineers immigrating to Australia nearly doubled during the year ending June 2006 compared to the same period in the previous year. This is almost certainly because of increased demand due to a boom in the construction industry. There are record levels of skilled workers arriving in Australia, with further increases expected this year. Earlier this month, the Royal Australian Defence Forces posted technical vacancies for more than 1500 positions. For interested immigrants who meet the requirements, this offers a path toward Australian citizenship.

Last year, Australia saw record levels of people leaving the country. Professionals, associate professionals and managers accounted for nearly half of permanent departures. Nearly one-third of those leaving permanently were classified as not being in the labor force.

Skilled IT job hunters in New Zealand are receiving multiple job offers, according to recruiters. New Zealand has been falling short of...