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After pushing to increase the number of H-1B guest worker visas available this year, US employers have not been rushing to use them.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on 23 May said it has received petitions for only 6,400 of the 20,000 new visas approved by Congress late last year.
The Government of New Zealand announced on 24 May that it will be making wide-ranging changes to its 18-year-old Immigration Act. Immigration Minister Paul Swain said the current law needs to be made more relevant to New Zealand's needs and the international environment.
The New Zealand government has issued plans to increase the period of residency needed before citizenship can be granted. The country hopes that the changes will help to prove a migrant's commitment to New Zealand.Previously, applicants were expected to have at least three years of permanent resident status within New Zealand before applying for citizenship. This has now been extended to five years.
On 15 June 2004, Work Permits (UK) announced that a limit had been placed on the number of Sector Based Scheme (SBS) permits that can be issued to a single nationality within a given sector. This limit was set at 20% of the overall quota. This quota has now been reached for Ukrainian nationals in the Food Manufacturing sector in SBS.
Under pressure from Congress to quickly expand the number of foreign workers allowed in the United States, federal immigration officials will begin accepting H2B visa applications for returning seasonal workers on 25 May. Some approvals could take up to 90 days, creating problems for parts of the summer tourism industry.To avoid the delay, business owners -- from Cape Cod restaurateurs to Maryland crabbers -- said they will probably pay a $1,000 fee per worker for expedited reviews, so they can get approvals in about two weeks.
Australia and Estonia have entered into a mutual Working Holiday Maker (WHM) arrangement for young people, Australia's Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) announced 20 May.
Australia's WHM program ensures that young people from around the world can get to know Australia and its people and that young Australians have the opportunity to improve their understanding of other cultures through working holidays overseas.