Immigration newsletter 22 February 2012

The UK Border Agency has announced proposed fee increases for UK visa and nationality applications. Immigration Minister Damien Green said the new fees will come into effect from 6 April 2012. In most cases fees will increase by only 2 percent, but there will be much larger increases on visa fees for certain immigration routes. It will also be more expensive for organisations in the UK that wish to employ immigrants to become sponsors.   Apply soon to avoid these changes!

Also, the UK Tier 1 Post Study Work Visa route will close on 6 April 2012. Under this visa, students are able to work in the UK for 2 years following graduation. There will be a new Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur visa.  However, hardly anyone will qualify for this.   If you wish to apply under Tier 1 PSW you should apply sooner rather than later.

British High Commissioner Robert Winnington Gibson announced last week that UK Immigration will soon introduce a special business visa for Bangladeshi businessmen who have strong trade relations with the UK.

"It will be a charged-for premium service under which the processing of applications for business visitor visas and Tier 2 skilled worker visas will be expedited," said Gibson.

Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore and US Senator Scott Brown believe “early progress” will be made on securing the Irish E3 visa bill. If passed, the new bill will allow 10,500 highly skilled Irish professional level workers to apply for the US E-3 visa program each year. Under the E-3 visa, individuals with a professional level job offer could live and work in the US for two years and renew the visa an unlimited number of times.

A member of the US House of Representatives has introduced a bill that would allow eligible Israelis to receive non-immigrant E-2 Treaty investor visas in the US. Under current law, Israelis are ineligible for the E-2 treaty visa. The E-2 Treaty Investor visa, allows foreign investors to temporarily live and work in the US in their US based business. It is valid for two years and can continue to be extended indefinitely as long as the visa holder still meets the requirements for Treaty visa status.

According to Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship, there was an increase in short-term business trips last year. New figures show over 120,000 applications were made for the 456 subclass short stay business visa in the last quarter of 2011.

Under the 456 subclass visa, the holder can stay in Australia for three months to carry out business activities such as attending conferences, handling negotiations or delivering presentations.

Canada's province of Saskatchewan is looking to fill nearly 300 skilled worker positions with Irish workers. Local businesses have been pushing the Canadian Government for more overseas workers to deal with skills shortages. Next month the government of Saskatchewan and employers throughout the province will begin the labour recruitment process in Ireland.

Australian Immigration has announced that one-third of asylum seekers arriving by boat will be living in the community on bridging visas next year under a policy change. Under this new process, the immigration department expects to save $400 million by moving asylum seekers out of detention centres and into the community. Bridging visas are used to make illegal immigrants allowed to lawfully stay in Australia and require holders to find accommodation and seek work.

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