RELO NEWS
One in three tech companies in London have seen talks with potential international hires fall through due to Britain’s decision to leave the European Union.
According to a survey from industry body Tech London Advocates, nearly two-thirds of London’s tech entrepreneurs believe Britain’s vote to leave the European Union has already damaged the international reputation of the city’s tech sector, although they still said it was the best place for start ups.
UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) have advised that sponsors are now able to apply to renew their allocation of Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) in Tier 2 (General) .
The present allocations will expire on 5th April 2017.
Some sponsors’ allocations will be "automatically renewed”, in which case nothing is required from the sponsor.
However, UKVI will contact other sponsors via email three months before 5th April 2017, and monthly thereafter, by way of reminder
According to a change in practice, foreign nationals seeking Indian visas in Austria will be required to visit an Indian visa application center to submit an Indian visa application on or after January 23, 2017. Additionally, foreign nationals filing in-person Indian visa applications in San Francisco must appear for biometrics at an Indian visa application center and must secure an appointment prior to visiting the application center.
Long-term work visa holders in the Philippines who have been issued Alien Certificate of Registration identity cards (ACR-I Cards) indicating "Worker" or "Treaty Trader" status – including but not limited to holders of 9(g) Pre-arranged Employment and 9(d) Treaty Trader work and dependent visas and Section 13 immigrant visas – must appear (personally or through a representative) at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) office and complete their annual report between January 4 and March 3, 2017.
The FY 2018 H-1B cap season will begin on Monday, April 3, 2017
Though the opening day of the filing period is still several months away, it is not too early for your organisation to begin assessing H-1B needs and working with your immigration team to begin the process.
Demand for new H-1Bs reached unprecedented levels last season and is expected to remain high in the FY 2018 season. For FY 2017, USCIS received 236,000 petitions against the annual quota of 85,000.
The Hong Kong Security Bureau is imposing stricter entry requirements for Indian nationals entering Hong Kong for business and tourism on or after January 23, 2017. Indian passport holders – who are currently allowed to enter Hong Kong without a visa for up to 14 days – will be required to complete an online pre-registration called a Pre-Arrival Registration (PAR) prior to travel. The new measures are meant to address the increasing number of Indian economic migrants who enter Hong Kong illegally.
On or after December 15, 2016, most spousal visa applications submitted in and outside Canada will be processed within 12 months, instead of the current average of 24 months, according to the Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Additional streamlining of the application process will include the following changes:
One application kit (applicants will no longer have to choose between two kits depending on whether they live in or outside Canada);
Dependents’ Telex VITAS (Limited Stay Visa Pre-Approval) can no longer be filed with the primary visa applicant's Telex VITAS application, which will prolong the overall processing time for dependents’ entry applications.
Additionally, Telex VITAS sponsor letters must now be signed by a company director of the local sponsoring entity. These developments follow the recent policy changes made by the Directorate General of Immigration.
The Costa Rican government has issued new visa rules for Non-Residents that will amend the visa requirements and the allowed periods of stay for certain nationalities in Costa Rica on or after December 14, 2016.
The official bulletin is available here (in Spanish) and the most notable changes will include the following:
Instead of the current four visa groups, nationalities will be divided into two main groups: visa-exempt nationals; and nationalities that require a consular or restricted entry visa, unless they possess one of following visas or statuses:
As part of the Indian government’s efforts to simplify the Indian visa system, the annual salary threshold for foreign nationals to be eligible for the employment visa category will be changed to INR 1,625,000 from USD 25,000. The reason for the change from USD to an amount in INR is primarily to protect employers and foreign employees from falling below the threshold due to foreign exchange fluctuation.
India is revising its visa system to attract travellers and boost trade.
The first step will be a transformed e-Tourist Visa (eTV) scheme that will merge tourist, business, medical and conference visas into a 60-day multiple-entry visa under a new name.
The new scheme will be extended to nationals from eight additional countries, so nationals from a total of 158 countries will be eligible for the program.
Italy has introduced a new visa category for investors. When it is fully implemented, the visa will offer qualified foreign investors an initial validity period of two years, renewable for three-year periods upon verification that the investment is maintained as outlined in the law.
Eligibility Criteria
The new visa will be available for those who meet the below criteria:
Invest a minimum of EUR 2 million EUR in government bonds, which have been untouched for at least two years;
A number of important changes to the UK Immigration Rules came into effect on November 24, 2016.
These include the closure of the Tier 2 ICT Skills Transfer subcategory, changes to minimum salary levels in several categories, a new requirement for certain dependents to show continuous residence, and the abolishment of the 28-day grace period for in-country.
When their visa requirement is lifted on December 1, 2016, Mexican citizens flying to or transiting through Canada will require an electronic travel authorisation (eTA).
Mexican citizens can apply now apply through a paper application at any Canadian visa application centre abroad until December 1. After December 1, they will be able to apply for an eTA online. Until December 1, 2016, Mexican citizens still need a temporary resident visa to travel to Canada.
Mexican citizens will not need an eTA if they are entering Canada by land or sea.
Applicants for several categories of Indian visas in London will have to attend a mandatory biometrics appointment on or after August 19, 2016, with a few limited exceptions, according to an announcement by the High Commission of India.
Applicants for the below categories will be subject to a personal appearance:
The Ministry of Interior has implemented stricter penalties including re-entry bans and random passport checks for foreign nationals who overstay their allowable visa stay period, effective immediately. The period of the ban will depend on whether the foreign national appears at an immigration checkpoint or if the police apprehend the foreign national.
According to the State Department’s April Visa Bulletin, the cut-off date for final issuance of an immigrant visa will advance by one month for EB-2 China, to September 1, 2012, and by three weeks for EB-2 India, to November 8, 2008.
Final action cut-off dates for EB-3 professionals and skilled workers will advance by two and one-half months for China, to August 15, 2013; by three weeks for India, to August 8, 2004; by six weeks for the Philippines, to May 1, 2008; and by six weeks for all other countries, to February 15, 2016. Final action cut-off dates for EB-5 China, in both the Regional Center and non-Regional Center programs, will advance by one week, to February 1, 2014.
