Immigration news

The United States Supreme Court handed down an opinion on 22 June, 2006 that allows long-term illegal residents to be deported under a 1996 law that became effective on 01 April, 1997.

In an 8-1 vote, the justices ruled that Humberto Fernandez-Vargas has no right to return to the U.S., even though he lived in the country for over 30 years, married a U.S. citizen, fathered a child who is a U.S. citizen, and operated his own business for many years. He apparently had no valid work permit or visa at any point.

Nurse Practitioners (NP's) are Registered Nurses (RN's) with specialized training and advanced degrees. A trend has been developing in the health care field for these persons to take on more and more work of doctors as doctors themselves become scarce in relation to demand. Strong opportunities for work permits and immigrant & non-immigrant visas are being created.

The European Commission engaged in a study to determine foreign-born student perceptions of Europe as a destination for higher education. An on-going program (Erasmus Mundus) is designed to attract students from the world to European universities by offering grants, scholarships and other incentives including, in some cases, offers of citizenship to model students who complete advanced degrees.

UK caseworkers will use a newly updated guidance document to process work permit applications for Chef occupations. The old guidance is still in effect throughout July, but after 02 August, 2006 the new guidance will be used for all work permit applications in this category.

Chefs and cooks are responsible for preparing and cooking across a wide range of catering outlets. Chef is the term normally used in kitchens at hotels and restaurants; cook is usually the term used in hospitals and schools. Short/call order cooks usually work in fast-food outlets, cafes and snack bars.

A new category and accompanying application form (the PD1) for post-graduate doctors and dentists is required for Post-Graduate Doctors and Dentists who wish to work in training jobs. Previously, an exemption policy was in effect for persons in this category, meaning that non-UK and non-EEA citizens did not require a work permit for these types of positions.

The on-going debate on immigration reform for the United States took a nasty partisan turn this week as the controlling conservative faction dug in its heels on several points. "There will be no path to citizenship," [for illegal immigrants in the U.S.] one Republican Congressman who attended intense backroom meetings reported, under condition of anonymity.