Immigration news

From 01/09/02 Work Permits (UK) will take over the decision making process on all work permit applications received in Northern Ireland.

From 8 May 2002 the pass and pool marks for some general skilled migrationvisa categories has changed.

These changes only effect you if you lodged your application on or after 8May 2002. If you lodged your application before 8 May 2002 these changes willnot affect your application.

If you apply to migrate to Australia under the Skilled - Australian Sponsoredcategory or any of the Skilled - Independent categories, you will be assessedagainst a points test.

It has jus t been announced by the New Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS)that from 18 June 2002 to 31 July 2002, overseas nationals applying for permanent residence in New Zealand under the General Skills Category will need a total of 28 points, instead of the 25 that are currently required.

Applications received before 18 June 2002 will still only require a total of 25 points.

From 1 July 2002, the passmark will be reviewed each month.

The Minister of Immigration will give five working days notice if the passmark is to be changed.

The Agreement between the European Community and its Member States and theSwiss Confedeartion on the Free Movement of Persons, will enter into force on 1May 2002. In general terms the Agreement confers on Swiss nationals and theirfamily members the same rights as those enjoyed by EEA nationals and theirfamily members

"The Home Office has announced that as from 1st June 2002 Swissnationals and their family will have a right of residence in the United Kingdomif they are working, self employed, providing or receiving services, studying orself sufficient.

On Friday 12th April 2002, The Home Secretary, David Blunkett, publisheda package of measures to crack down on illegal immigrants to the UK and on UKemployers who hire workers illegally.

Powers to stop illegal working will be strengthened in the Nationality,Immigration and Asylum bill. They include measures to "compel"employers hiring cash-in-hand workers to cooperate.

Immigration officers will have new powers to enter businesses to search forillegal immigrants and demand information to detect asylum fraud. The officerswill be empowered to remove children born in the UK when their parents enteredthe country unlawfully.

German Immigration Law, which has been widelydiscussed in the German media for several months, was approved by the Bundesrat(the Upper House of the German parliament) on 22 March, 2002. The new law hasproved to be very controversial, and it is uncertain whether the Law in it’scurrent form will ever come into force. The Federal President can refuse to signthe new law as it currently stands, and if this should happen it will probablymean that the new law will be delayed until after Germany’s general electionin autumn this year. The law could then be modified by whoever wins theelections.