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The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) released a report showing that the United Kingdom's government, local authorities, and employers underestimate benefits that immigrants bring to the economy. Three beneficial effects that migrants bring to local economies: improving the 'skills mix' in an area, increasing an area's diversity, and changing the size and productivity of local areas in the UK. The IPPR said that employers benefit from diversity because diverse workforces tend to be more productive and creative, thus boosting business performance.

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada Minister Diane Finley, details on how the government will prioritize skilled worker applications will be revealed in "early Autumn." Canada's Immigration and Refugee Act (IRPA) was amended during June of this year, giving Canada's federal government authority to prioritize the processing of Canadian immigration applications based on the country's 'socio-economic' needs. Little is known about the exact criteria that will govern...

The United Kingdom's Immigration Minister, Liam Byrne, rejected recent demands for a cap on the number of non-EU immigrants allowed to remain in Britain. A cross-party parliamentary group has called upon the government to slash the number of non-European Union migrants allowed to remain in Britain. The demands come after a recent Eurostat report estimated that the UK will have the highest population of the European Union -- 77 million -- in the next fifty years, mainly due to immigration.

From 17 September 2008 there will be a new immigration scheme called the Canadian Experience Class. The new immigration program is for certain temporary foreign workers and international student graduates with professional, managerial and skilled work experience. Under the new category, an applicant's previous experience in Canada can be considered as a "key selection factor;" those who have left Canada but otherwise meet the requirements may apply under the...

The United Kingdom's Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) has announced that it is removing several English language tests from its approved list. Applications received from 12 September 2008 will NOT receive points for these tests; applications received on or before September 11th are not affected. Individuals who used English language tests that are no longer on the approved list will be contacted and given 10 weeks to undertake an alternative English language test. People will have only one chance to take the alternative test.

The United Kingdom will remove 1/3 of the occupations from the list of jobs considered to be in shortage. Hopeful immigrants sponsored for a Tier 2 visa need to score 70 points, 50 of which must be under Attributes. For an occupation on the Skills Shortages list, a Certificate of Sponsorship from an employer can be worth 50 points. A Certificate of Sponsorship can be...

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) began accepting applications under the Canadian Experience Class, on 17 September 2008. The Canadian Experience Class visa allows certain temporary foreign workers and foreign graduates of Canadian colleges and universities to gain permanent residence in Canada, based upon their professional, managerial, and skilled work experience. Applicants are also able to apply from within Canada under the Canadian Experience Class. People who have left Canada can also apply, so long as they do so within 1 year of leaving their job in Canada.

Two Canadian Liberal MPs have authored an article in which they state that a Liberal government would deal with the nation's immigration backlogs and Canada's labor shortages. In June, changes to Canada's Immigration and Refugee Act give broad discretionary powers to the federal government (through the immigration minister) to decide which applications for skilled immigration may receive priority for consideration and processing....