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Portugal has the European Union Presidency for six months from 01 July, 2007. The term is already off to a challenging start with heated debate over EU migration and expansion issues, and the highly controversial EU Constitution. Portugal announced it intends to continue pursuing solutions for the illegal immigration problems from African nations. A summit will be held in December to continue with economic development and diplomatic progress to ease relations between Europe and Africa.

Microsoft announced on 05 July that they will create a new Microsoft Canada Development Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia. About a two-hour drive north from Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, it will open later this year with around 200 employees, with up to 1,000 planned later on. Officials in Vancouver greeted the announcement with excitement as the move represents a significant boost to the cities' economy. 

The British embassy in Moscow is currently receiving an average of about 100 visa applications per hour. Embassy officials attribute the 25% increase, in part, to a combination of June's traditional high demand and up to a 50% reduction in cost for certain types of visas. Part of the surge in applications is comprised of a 37% increase in international students trying to come into the UK.

The UK's National Shortages Occupation List was modified to add the category of Chartered Quantity Surveyors as of July 23rd. Occupations on this list do not require a Resident Labor Test. This means that an employer does not need to show that a job cannot be filled by citizens of Britain, the EU, or the European Economic Area. Chartered Quantity Surveyors generally work within the construction industry to control and manage costs on a construction project.