Jul/080
Visa fees Increase for Oz
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
Jul/080
Government to hold talks on ‘bad faith’ marriages
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 
Jun/080
Australian Citizenship Test : Funding to Help test-takers
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
May/080
Working while on F1/J1 (Student) Visa
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.
May/080
Canada makes life better for international students
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.
Apr/081
Australia to allow ALL students to work after April 26th 2008
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.
Apr/080
OPT be 29 months for STEM students
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.
Mar/081
H1B visa cap in April 1st 2008
Update: Both the 20,000 and General Cap met by application date.
The USCIS issued a final rule for the H1B selection process for FY 2009.
(i) Multiple H1B Filings for an Employee by same employer prohibited, but an individual may be the beneficiary of multiple petitions filed by different companies.
(ii)The first 20,000 H1B petitions received for foreign nationals who have a U.S. master’s or higher degree are exempt from the regular 65,000 H1B cap.
(ii) If both the 20,000 and 65,000 caps are reached in the first five business days of filing, there will first be a lottery of the cases requesting the advance degree cap, then a lottery of all remaining cases.
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