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But mechanical and electrical engineering left out.
Engineering has been added to the list of occupations in which migrant workers are permitted to fill a UK skills gap. Engineering was one of limited additions made to the revised list after a panel of experts was asked by ministers to identify sectors with skills shortages.The list forms part of the new points-based migration system.
Citizens from EU states, excluding Bulgaria and Romania, can work in the UK without restrictions but unskilled workers from other parts of the world are banned.
The list is expected to come into force at the end of November, and will make it harder to employ skilled workers from outside the EU in trades not on the list.
Now females need the new ( and controversial for the desire to administer it to girls in 6ith grade) HPV vaccine!
Green card applicants have been required to have vaccinations for the following:
mumps, measles, rubella, polio, tetanus and diphtheria toxoids, pertussis, influenzae Type B (HIB), hepatitis B, varicella, pneumococcal, and influenza.
Now, begining August 1st 2008, approval of I-485 needs these extra vaccines:
rotavirus, hepatitis A (for young children), meningococcal, human papillomavirus (HPV) ( recommended for females 11 to 26 ) and zoster vaccines ( (for shingles- needed for those over 60 years of age )
As such, the Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, has been revised to reflect the new vaccination requirements. The revised ( June 5, 2008 edition of Form I-693 for medical examinations) to be completed, must be used for medical exams completed on or after August 1, 2008.
More informations:
CDC vaccines page
Information for Surgeons
If you are one of those caught by the US mortgage crisis, as a good number of Americans have been, there are some options that might help you out.
A. The October FHA deal
By October 2008, the FHA deal is coming into force. The new regulation may enable you to transfer your mortgage over to FHA, with better terms. There are strict conditions, but you can survive it.
B. I do not qualify for the new FHA deal
If you know for sure you are bound to loose your house, or have negative equity in your home, it may be better to just walk away from the mortgage. But before you do so, first make sure some things are certain:
- you have a place to live
- you have a decent vehicle to last you at least five years, and
- you know that your home qualifies ( business or secondary homes may not qualify ).
Advantages of letting the bank take back “their” house are:
- If you have negative equity, you do not owe on that balance
- saves you on making payments that are not making any dents in your debt
Of course, you have to dig in for the 7 (seven ) years that you will be having negative reports on your credit file.
More about the FHA deal
To qualify:
- You must live in your home
- Your loan must have been issued between January 2005 and June 2007.
- You must be spending at least 31% of your gross monthly income on mortgage debt.
- You can be up to date or in default, but you must prove that you will not be able to keep paying your existing mortgage
To Apply
-Contact your current mortgage servicer or go directly to an FHA-approved lender for help.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship have made their annual adjustment of most of their visa application fees. The new fees came into effect from 1 July 2008 and were applied to the majority of Australian visas.
Notable increases: (others increased by 2.3 percent):
- The tourist visa fee will increase from $75 to $100 for those making an application outside of Australia.
- Temporary visa application fees will increase from $190 to $250.
- Skilled visa fees have also increased from $2060 to $2105.
- Working holiday visa fees have increased by $5, from $190 to $195.
- The Resident Return Visa doubled from $120 to $240.
More info, see DIAC website
Globeandmail.com reports that
The federal government is opening up talks with Canadian lawyers on whether legal changes are required to tackle marriages of convenience.
Officials from Citizenship and Immigration Canada are looking for input from the Canadian Bar Association on possible changes to regulations regarding “bad faith” marriages, in which foreigners dupe Canadians into marriage to gain a Canadian passport.
Good to know 
Those who apply for permanent Australian immigration have to do (the difficult ) citizenship test.
Those people who struggle with the test can now get help. As much as AUS$3.4 million has been dedicated to helping people take the computer-based test. The Australian government will give this money to communities throughout the country, whereby thousands of people will be assisted.
More on this globalvisas.com
International students are allowed employment during the studies in the United States ( limits this employment to 20 hours per week or less during the academic year). This employment is strictly on-campus ( limited to the University - based, on campus employment.)
International students are never authorized - except via specific USCIS permission, to work off campus. To get this authorization, you normally apply for a work permit or the Employment Authorization Document, EAD, from the USCIS. The EAD approval may take up to 6 months or longer.
Prior to beginning any employment on campus, all students must have a Social Security Number (SSN). To request a SSN, a students needs to contact the International Office ( normally referred to as ISO) to make such requests. SSN Approvals generally takes from 10 to 15 days.
Upon successfully attainment of a SSN, the student must then fill out the I-9 before starting employment.
Always ask with the ISO for possibilities of work opportunities on/off campus. Plan accordingly, especially for off campus work, as the EAD may take longer than the stipulated 6 months. Note that is also generally not easy for undergraduates to be allowed to work off campus during their first semester/year of study.
Changes in the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program, makes it easier for graduating international students to obtain work permits and acquire Canadian work experience.
The changes to ( the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program )
- remove the requirement to have a job offer at the time of application. International graduates can now obtain an open work permit, i.e. they can work for any Canadian employer who offers them a job.
- international students now have the flexibility to work outside of their field of study.
- The duration of the work permit has now been extended to three years across the country.
A related change, in the new Canadian Experience Class category:
- makes it easier for international students and foreign workers who are already in Canada with temporary status to become Canadian Permanent Residents.
- At least one year of work experience in a managerial, professional, or technical position will be required to apply for the Canadian Experience Class.
Starting 26 April 2008, students on a student visa will automatically be granted permission to work. Permission to work will also apply to eligible family members that will stay with the foreign student in Australia.
The new rule will save time and money, as foreign students are no longer required to apply to work separately once they arrive in Australia.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released today an interim final rule extending the period of Optional Practical Training (OPT) from 12 to 29 months for qualified F-1 non-immigrant students. The extension will be available to F-1 students with a degree in STEM( science, technology, engineering, or mathematics ) who are employed by businesses enrolled in the E-Verify program.
Another aspect of the rule responds to the situation in which an F-1 student’s status and work authorization expires before he or she can begin employment under the H-1B visa program. The interim final rule addresses this problem by automatically extending the period of stay and work authorization for all F-1 students with pending H-1B petitions. The rule will also implement certain programmatic changes, including allowing students to apply for OPT within 60 days of graduation.
To be eligible for an OPT extension, an F-1 non-immigrant student must:
- Currently be participating in a 12-month period of approved post-completion OPT;
- Have successfully completed a degree in (STEM) included in the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List from a college or university certified by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program;
- Be working for a U.S. employer in a job directly related to the student’s major area of study;
- Be working for, or accepted employment with, an employer enrolled in U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ E-Verify program. E-Verify is a free, internet-based system operated in partnership with the Social Security Administration that helps employers to determine the employment eligibility of newly-hired employees; and
- Properly maintain F-1 status.
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