Immigration news

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it has received its congressionally-mandated limit for H-1B applications for FY2005. No more H-1B applications subject to the FY2005 cap will be accepted.

The annual cap has been set at 65,000 petitions, including 6,800 of which are reserved under the H-1B program for the US - Chile and US - Singapore Free Trade Agreement allocations.

USCIS will, for the rest of FY2005, follow the procedures defined in the notice of February 25, 2004 Federal Register at 69 FR8675, which addresses the FY2004 cap. These include:

Entry points across the US have begun 'biometric' security checks on business travellers and vacationers entering the country. This new security measure, in which the incoming traveler is photographed and electronically fingerprinted, covers visitors from 27 countries, including the UK, Japan and Germany.

Today has seen details of the Green Card Lottery DV 2006 being announced. The main points to note about the new program are as follows:

Information about cases currently under consideration by the UK Home Office's Immigration and Nationality Directorate as of September 27th, 2004.

Leave to Remain applications sent to ATOS Cannock before 15 July 2004: The IND is currently working on cases received 28 May 2004.

Leave to Remain applications sent to ATOS Cannock after 15 July 2004: The IND is currently working on cases received 3 August 2004.

Work Permit Applications: The IND is working on cases received 24 September 2004.

Highly Skilled Migrant Program: the IND is working on cases received 20 April 2004.

Non-EU nationals who want to work in the Netherlands might not need work permits in the future if they will earn more than EUR 45,000/year.

This plan is set to come into effect on 1 October 2004 and means that such high-earners will be issued with a residence permit instead valid for up to five years.

The Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural (and Indigenous) Affairs (DIMIA) has added several new occupations to the Skilled Occupations List, falling under the category of Agricultural Professionals.

Individuals who work in the following occupations now have a chance to apply for permanent residency in Australia under one of the General SKilled migration categories: