Immigration news

Nearly 350,000 jobseekers mainly from Poland, Lithuania and Slovakia have come to Britain since the EU's enlargement in 2004, a UK government report published on 28 February reveals. Towards the end of last year, the initial surge in applications from workers coming from central and eastern Europe had begun to lessen, according to the study.The paper also pointed out that there was "no discernible statistical evidence" that migrant workers from these countries had caused or contributed to the rise in social benefit claimants, recorded in the UK last year.

Seeking visas for business travel ventures can be a bureaucratic nightmare. This is especially the case for the United States, which led the way in stepping up scrutiny at points of immigration in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist strikes.

Now, in recognition of the need to speed things up for executives seeking access to the country, U.S. officials have announced they may turn to digital breakthroughs to help swifter screening of would-be visitors.

Australian Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone this week defended a new trade-skills training visa. The visa category will allow employers in regional areas to award apprenticeships to trainees from overseas.The opposition Labor party is calling for the visa category to be scrapped, saying it lacks a requirement for employers to advertise the positions first.But Senator Vanstone says the visas will have to be approved by local certifying bodies.

Canada's federal Conservative government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper wants to work with Canadian provinces to help immigrants have their foreign credentials recognized in Canada.

"That's one of things Harper raised last night as an issue that he would like us to collaborate with him on, which is the recognition of credentials from the foreign community," Premier Dalton McGuinty said Feb. 25.

"We're more than pleased to do that."

India's IT industry is hoping for some positive initiatives that will lead to a free trade agreement with the US in the services sector during President George W. Bush's visit to the country.India hopes that during Bush's visit to the country on Feb. 29 the US administration will also raise the visa limit for the entry of Indian tech professionals in the world's largest economy.A large base of skilled talent that speaks English and service delivery expertise at a significant cost advantage have lured a large number of US firms like GE, Microsoft, Cisco and American Express to outsource jobs to India.

A growing number of US governors are complaining about illegal immigrants pouring into their states, pushing the Bush administration and Congress for action.

Republicans and Democrats alike on Sunday said they planned to bring the concerns to President Bush in private meetings this week, bringing a front-line security worry of a different order than the latest Washington obsessions on ports and eavesdropping.