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United States: New STEM Immigration Proposal Introduced, Others Expected

United States: New STEM Immigration Proposal Introduced, Others Expected

A bill introduced by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) would streamline the permanent residence process and allocate 55,000 employment-based immigrant visas to STEM advanced-degree graduates. EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 foreign nationals would be eligible to file an adjustment of status application before an immigrant visa became available, on payment of an additional fee. Unused employment-based... »

Mexico: Government Introduces Burdensome Visa Renewal Procedures in Mexico City

Mexico: Government Introduces Burdensome Visa Renewal Procedures in Mexico City

Effective immediately, foreign nationals extending their visas in Mexico City can no longer schedule their own appointment time; one will be assigned to them. The principal and all dependents must attend the appointment together. The Mexican National Immigration Institute (INM) recently implemented strict new... »

Thailand: Board of Investment Launches Online Portal for Work Permit Applications

Thailand: Board of Investment Launches Online Portal for Work Permit Applications

Companies that are certified by the Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI) and employ less than ten foreign employees must begin using the new online system immediately. BOI certified companies with ten or more foreign employees have until October 1, 2012 to move to... »

United States: H-1B Filings Increase by 4,700 Since Last Count

United States: H-1B Filings Increase by 4,700 Since Last Count

As of May 4, a total of 46,200 H-1B cap cases were filed for Fiscal Year 2013, USCIS has announced. This is an increase of 4,700 filings since the agency’s last count on April 27. Some 32,500 cases have now been filed against the standard... »

Netherlands: Government to Limit Accompanying Family Member Benefits

Netherlands: Government to Limit Accompanying Family Member Benefits

Effective July 1, 2012, only legally married or registered foreign domestic partners will be able to join or accompany a foreign or Dutch national residing in the Netherlands. The new policy will not apply to residence permit applications filed before July 1. Existing residence... »

United States: H-1B Filings Increase by 5,600 Since Last Count

United States: H-1B Filings Increase by 5,600 Since Last Count

As of April 27, a total of 41,500 H-1B cap cases were filed for Fiscal Year 2013, USCIS announced today. This is an increase of 5,600 filings since the agency’s last count on April 20. Some 29,200 cases have now been filed against the standard... »

Ghana: Government Introduces Stricter Entry Rules for Work Permit Applicants, New Recruitment Requirements for Oil and Gas Industry

Ghana: Government Introduces Stricter Entry Rules for Work Permit Applicants, New Recruitment Requirements for Oil and Gas Industry

Foreign nationals seeking to work in Ghana can no longer enter as visitors while a work permit application is pending. They must wait until they obtain a work permit before entering the country. Employers in the oil and gas industry are now subject to... »

United States: EB-2 India/China Immigrant Visas Reportedly Exhausted for the Year

United States: EB-2 India/China Immigrant Visas Reportedly Exhausted for the Year

The annual limit on immigrant visas for EB-2 India and mainland China was apparently reached on April 11, according to a report from the American Immigration Lawyers Association. USCIS will still accept EB-2 India/China adjustment applications based on priority dates cut-offs in the April... »

Japan: New Points-Based System for Skilled Workers Takes Effect May 7

Japan: New Points-Based System for Skilled Workers Takes Effect May 7

Foreign nationals who meet a points threshold will benefit from expedited application procedures, broader work authorization rights, expanded spousal work benefits, and a shorter path to permanent residence. Japan will introduce a new points-based immigration program for skilled workers on May 7, 2012. The... »

United Arab Emirates: Foreign Nationals Must Provide Official Attestation of Residence Lease to Sponsor Dependents in Dubai

United Arab Emirates: Foreign Nationals Must Provide Official Attestation of Residence Lease to Sponsor Dependents in Dubai

Foreign nationals residing in Dubai and seeking to sponsor dependent family members for resident permits are now required to submit an original government attestation of their residential lease or tenancy contract. Dependent resident permit applications submitted without the lease attestation will be denied. The... »

Switzerland: Government to Limit Long-Term Work Permits for Nationals of EU-8 Countries

Switzerland: Government to Limit Long-Term Work Permits for Nationals of EU-8 Countries

Beginning May 1, 2012, approximately 2,000 long-term work permits – known as B-Permits – will be available to nationals of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, and Slovakia each year, the Swiss Federal Council has announced. However, nationals of the EU-8... »

United Kingdom: UKBA to Clear Backlog of Requests for Unrestricted Certificates of Sponsorship by May 4

United Kingdom: UKBA to Clear Backlog of Requests for Unrestricted Certificates of Sponsorship by May 4

Employers have been experiencing delays in obtaining unrestricted Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to use between April 6, 2012 and April 5, 2013, after the UK Border Agency (UKBA) received an unexpectedly large number of requests for the certificates. The UKBA expects to issue all... »

United States: H-1B Cap Filings Increase by 5,600 in One Week

United States: H-1B Cap Filings Increase by 5,600 in One Week

As of April 20, a total of 35,900 H-1B cap cases were filed for Fiscal Year 2013, USCIS has announced. This is an increase of 5,600 filings since the agency’s last count on April 13. Some 25,000 cases have been filed against the standard H-1B... »

Spain to Restore Border Checks from May 2 to 4; All Travelers Must Have a Passport to Enter

Spain to Restore Border Checks from May 2 to 4; All Travelers Must Have a Passport to Enter

On May 2, 3 and 4, Spain will suspend the Schengen Agreement and restore strict border checks for all travelers during a European Central Bank summit in Barcelona, the Spanish Ministry of Interior has announced. Anyone seeking entry should be prepared to present a... »

Middle East: Kuwait, Qatar and United Arab Emirates Restrict Entry of Syrian Nationals

Middle East: Kuwait, Qatar and United Arab Emirates Restrict Entry of Syrian Nationals

Due to the ongoing conflict in their country, Syrian nationals are currently experiencing stringent security screenings and increased denial rates when applying for visas to Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Visitor, business and work visa applications submitted by sponsoring employers and by... »