Immigration newsletter 20 September 2006

Call us for visa advice at our London office: +44 (0) 20 7842 0800.

The US DV-2008 (Greencard) Lottery is about to begin

Australian mining and construction companies have been expanding in order to meet increased demand. The government is actively recruiting more hospital workers and teachers, in addition to the 80,000 jobs added to the health and community service sector in 2005. Mining investment increased by 91% in the last year. Overall, employment in Australia climbed five times more than expected during June this year.

Prime Minister John Howard's administration has introduced a preliminary plan to tighten citizenship eligibility for Australia. The proposal introduces a formal test for citizenship and will go to Parliament for debate.

The Swiss will vote on a referendum plan to further restrict immigration into Switzerland in the upcoming week. Already passed by Parliament, the new law aims to limit immigration from countries outside the European Union and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Exemptions will be made for highly skilled workers.

New U.S. passport rules for 2007 will be until 08 January 2007 at the least. Passports will be required for U.S. citizens by boat or by airplane when crossing the U.S. border. The original deadline requiring passports for air and sea passage was changed to accommodate holiday travellers.

The U.S. town at centre of an immigration lawsuit has passed a new, tougher version of its Illegal Immigration Relief Act. The Hazleton City Council passed the updated version in a bid to defend the measure against legal challenges filed last month.

Landlords face a $250 a day fine for each illegal immigrant they rent to, and business licenses may be revoked within 3 days. Legal employees may now sue employers for work lost as a result of a business license being revoked under the measure.

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