Dear Visitor

People wishing to come to the United Kingdom as skilled immigrants from India may no longer use the HSMP scheme. Tier 1 must now be used for skilled migration. Everyone else in the world will be required to use Tier 1 from some time beginning this summer.

A new report by Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship shows that immigration accounted for 56% of population growth last year. The report, Population Flows: Immigration Aspects, said that record numbers of skilled immigrants were a major factor. Emigration from Australia is at its highest point ever, with 72,000 people leaving the country permanently during 2006-07. Australia lost 35,196 skilled workers during this period, but gained 49,523.

Skilled migrtion accounts for 60% of population growth in Western Australia. More than 2/3's of overseas migrants to Western Australia come from the United Kingdom. 32.1% of Western Australia's labor force is foreign born - well above the 25.7% national statistic. British citizens are looking to New Zealand, Australia, and even South Africa as teh top 3 popular destinations. Australia in particular has become an attractive destination for migrants due to its liberal immigration policies.

ANNOUNCING - Meet us in New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai this month!

If you would like to meet us in India to discuss immigration to the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the United States, make an appointment now: indiaoffices@workpermit.com.In the next few days we will also be announcing contact details for workpermit.com in various Indian cities and a series of seminars to be held in India.

New immigration rules have been proposed by authorities in Sweden that could aid employers in their search for overseas labor. Employers who want non-European Union workers may no longer need a labor market assessment by local government authorities for work permits. Under the proposal, residence and work permits could be issued for up to 2 years - an increase from the current 18 months - and th epermits would now be renewable. Employees already in Sweden would also not be required to leave the country to submit applications.

The United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) will accept H-1B petitions for 5 business days, until April 7, so that more companies have a chance to participate in a random lottery. Experts estimate that 300,000 to 500,000 petitions will be submitted by the end of the day Monday for the 85,000 available under current quotas.

A new rule will invalidate - without refund - any duplicate petitions submitted for the same potential employee. H-1B petitions are submitted by an employer for a person who has a job offer and, once approved, the new employee may begin working in the U.S. on October 1st, the first day of the 2009 fiscal year.

H-1B visas allow U.S. companies to employ foreign workers in highly specialized jobs for up to 3 years, with an option to extend them for an additional 3 years. High technology companies, notably Microsoft, Oracle and Google.com, have been lobbying aggressively for increased H-1B quotas and other reforms.

They would like to make it easier for foreign students graduating from U.S. universities to stay in the U.S. and work after graduation. The current presidential candidates agree that U.S. companies should have an easier time bringing in highly skilled foreign talent.

Most immigrants come to Canada as skilled migrants - either as temporary foreign workers, permanent residents under its points-based, skilled migration scheme, or as provincial and territorial nominees. Employers wishing to hire workers under the provincial nominee program state their case for hiring foreign talent to their provincial government

Once approved, employers can then have a potential immigrant apply for permanent residence under the Provincial Nominee Program. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) then makes a final decision on an individual's application. Provincial Nominee permanent resident visa applications are given preference over other skilled visa applicants.

• Wanted: More US H-1Bs and longer work permission for students

  Bill Gates recently made an impassioned plea to the United States Congress to increase the H-1B cap, stating that it was in America's best interests to import badly needed talent to help the country stay ahead in the global market.more  »

• Western Australia attracting British immigrants

  Australia's recent government report highlighting immigration's role in boosting the population last year has an interesting side note: more than two-thirds of overseas migrants to Western Australia came from the United Kingdom. more  »

• Sweden to relax work permit requirements?

  The Swedish newspaper The Local is reporting that new rules announced by immigration authorities in Sweden could aid employers in their search to hire badly needed labor from overseas. more  »

• Canada's Provincial Nominee immigration program

  Canada is one of the most popular immigration destinations in the world and has one of the largest foreign born populations of OECD countries. Most immigrants come to Canada as skilled migrants -- either as temporary foreign workers, permanent residents under its points based skilled migration scheme, or as provincial and territorial nominees. more  »

• Skilled immigration leads Australian population growth

  According to a new report released by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, immigration accounted for 56 percent of Australia's population growth last year. The report, Population Flows: Immigration Aspects, said record numbers of skilled migrants were a major factor. more  »

• Highly skilled migrants vital to UK economy

  The Guardian is reporting on a study that says a record number of highly skilled migrants will contribute an estimated ?77 billion to the UK economy over the next four years. more  »

• New Zealand immigration continues to slow

  Immigration into New Zealand for the year ending in February 2008 is at its lowest point since 2001, even with its relatively liberal skilled migration policies. more  »

• Australia proposes easing skills crisis through migration

  Under plans being proposed to Australia's 457 visa scheme, state governments and businesses would be able to fast-track temporary foreign workers for jobs in various sectors such as mining and health care. more  »

• Canada helps immigrants achieve success

  Diane Finley, Minister of Immigration and Citizenship for Canada, announced funding that will continue a program to assist migrants with integration into Canadian society. The additional funding is in response to the project's enormous success in helping migrants join the labor market. more  »