Jul/090
Curb in Applications for U.K. Citizenship
The Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill will receive Queen Elizabeth II’s approval today:- The Bill extends the residence requirement for citizenship applicants to eight years from five for people with work permits. Those married to a British national need five years in the U.K. instead of three.
Britain has reversed its open-door policy as public concern grew over the scale of immigration since 2004, when Poland and seven other Eastern European nations joined the European Union, gaining the right to work without restriction in the U.K. Brown has focused his clampdown on migration from outside Europe, restricting both family and work visas.
Applicants can shave two years off their wait by doing approved volunteer work.
Sep/080
Engineering makes it to the UK skills shortage
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.
Mar/080
UK Skilled Migration (Tier 1 for General Highly Skilled Migrants)
Starting on 01 April 2008, the HSMP ends for India applicants based in India, and for the rest of the world HSMP ends in summer of 2008. But you can switch to the newer Tier 1. Who can switch into Tier 1 .
For those already legally resident in the UK, a switch into Tier 1 is possible for:
- HSMP visa holders, Innovators,Work Permit holders
- People in the UK under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme
- International Graduates Scheme and Science and Engineering Graduates scheme participants,Postgraduate Doctors and Dentists
- Students,Student Nurses,Students Re-sitting Examinations,Students Writing Thesis
General Information
Here is the summary information about the new points based tiered immigration system :
The are five tiers:
- Tier 1: For highly skilled migrants, entrepreneurs, investors, and graduate students.
- Replaces the HSMP, the Entrepreneur , the Investor , and the International Graduates Scheme.
- Tier 1 eligible to switch to another tier once they are in the UK if they can meet the requirements of that tier.
- Tier 1 can lead to settlement if the permanent residence requirements are met at the time of application.
- Tier 2: For skilled workers who have a job offer. Consider this as the new Work Permit rules.
- Tier 2 eligible to switch to another tier once they are in the UK if they can meet the requirements of that tier.
- Tier 2 can lead to settlement if the permanent residence requirements are met at the time of application.
- Tier 3: For a limited numbers of lower skilled workers to fill temporary shortages in the labour market.
- Tier 3 is now (2008) in favour of migrants from the EU; however, this may change.
- Tier 3 is a temporary migration schemes and migrants who fall under these tiers will not be able to switch to a different tier from within the UK
- Tier 4: Students.
- Tier 4 eligible to switch to another tier once they are in the UK if they can meet the requirements of that tier.
- Tier 5: For youth mobility and temporary workers, such as those who come under Working Holiday agreements with other countries.
- Tier 5 is temporary migration schemes and migrants who fall under these tiers will not be able to switch to a different tier from within the UK
Nov/070
Employers face new fines for illegal working
Source: UK Home Office
Businesses must source migrant labour through legal means or face severe penalties, the Home Office announced today as part of its comprehensive programme to reform Britain’s immigration controls.
The Government is setting out new measures to prevent illegal working following a consultation with UK businesses. Under a new system of civil penalties, employers who negligently hire illegal workers could face a maximum fine of £10,000 for each illegal worker found at a business. If employers are found to have knowingly hired illegal workers they could incur an unlimited fine and be sent to prison.
Nov/070
MANDATORY REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENTS INTENDING TO ENTER OR REMAIN IN THE UK FOR MORE THAN 6 MONTHS
From 30 November 2007 the academic technology approval scheme (ATAS) will become a mandatory requirement within the Immigration Rules for students intending to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for more than 6 months to undertake postgraduate studies or research in certain designated subjects.
The ATAS will also apply to you if you are enrolled on an overseas course which is similar in subject matter to those covered by the ATAS and you intend to come to the UK for more than 6 months in order to undertake a period of study/research, which forms part of your postgraduate overseas course.
If you wish to come to, or extend your stay in, the United Kingdom for such a purpose you will, from 30 November 2007, be required to provide a valid ATAS clearance certificate with your application for an entry clearance or an extension of stay. Failure to provide a valid clearance certificate will result in your application being refused.
Nov/070
6 Secrets of Successful Immigrants
Originally article Published Sept. 11, 2007 – MSN Money Online
Many entrepreneurial newcomers to the United States prosper by exploiting opportunities missed by native-born Americans. Here’s how three made it here.
Ever wonder how some immigrants who arrive in this country with nothing can work their way into the middle class in one generation?
Immigrant entrepreneurs are the fastest-growing segment of small-business owners today, says a report on the future of small business by Intuit and the Palo Alto, California, Institute for the Future. That’s partly because immigrants have few options: U.S. jobs usually go to those fluent in the English language and American culture.
Oct/070
Migrants fuel growth in the UK, as expected
The guardian reports that:
Migrants are more highly skilled and often more reliable and hardworking than British workers and are fuelling the country’s economic growth to the tune of £6bn a year.
Summarized: the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Poles and other east European workers had had “no discernible” impact on unemployment and had led to only a “modest dampening of wage growth” for British workers at the bottom end of the earnings league.
Source: Read full article from guardian.co.uk
Oct/070
D-MADE: exciting opportunity to access grants financing entrepreneurial projects by Africans in the diaspora
Have you been wondering how to get funds to start a great business at home? Well, here is one honey pot:
The Development Marketplace for African Diaspora in Europe (D-MADE) is a new and exciting opportunity to access grants financing entrepreneurial projects that are designed by Africans, to support the development of Africa. Based on the very successful global Development Marketplace, for the first time such a programme will target Sub-Saharan Africa-wide members of the Diaspora living in Europe.
D-MADE, an initiative of the World Bank financially supported by the Belgian Development Cooperation, the Dutch
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Source: http://www.dmade.org/
Sep/070
EU to let in 20m africans
BARMY EU chiefs were slammed last night after vowing to open Europe’s borders to 20MILLION Africans and Asians.Commission bosses want immigrants to settle here permanently and get citizenship. But critics last night warned most would make a bee-line straight for Britain.
Sep/070
Have Degree: Can Work
The following article taken from the “times of India” makes for informative reading:
With the revision of work rules in a number of foreign countries, the most recent being Australia, Indian students are now being presented with the option of staying back in the country where they receive their degree in order to gain that elusive international work experience. Educators in the United States regard these revisions as the latest in a series of attempts by other countries to chip away at the dominance of American higher education. The country also claims to be the first to offer international students the opportunity to gain work experience after completion of studies.