Dear Visitor

On 09 June 2008, the Canadian House of Commons passed the Budget Implementation Act, 2008 by a vote of 120-90. Also known as Bill C-50, it contains provisions to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act of Canada. These amendments allow the government to process applications from immigrants based upon job skills that the Canadian federal government decides are required in Canada. Quotas could be set without specifying a particular region, and applications related to job skills not in demand could be denied.

At a recent conference for language training administrators in Canada, the Parliamentary Secretary highlighted the government's commitment to provide language training for new immigrants. Organizations in Canada provide English and French language training under the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program.

LINC is one of several federally funded programs designed to help immigrants integrate into Canadian society. The Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO) is another program. FCRO helps newcomers who have been trained overseas find information they need to get credentials assessed and recognized in Canada.

The United Kingdom's Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) has issued an "invitation" for organizations who evaluate the English language competency of immigrants to submit their tests for assessment. This assessment is intended to ensure that the required standards for General, Intracompany Transfers, Sports People, and Ministers of Religion categories under Tier 2 are met.

10 points are awarded toward a Tier 2 application if the applicant can speak English at a basic level. These 10 points are mandatory; a migrant's application will fail if they do not score these minimum points.

VACANCIES AVAILABLE - To deal with Danish and Swiss Work Permits & Visas

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Migration Team in the UK, Central Europe and India. If you are interested please email worklondon@workpermit.com with a covering letter and CV.

The United Kingdom updated its National Shortage Occupation List (NSOL) on 06 June 2008. 28 new occupations were added and 2 were amended. It has also been announced that, from 18 July 2008, 3 occupations will be removed.

Available positions not on the NOSL must meet a resident labor market test before an employer may sponsor a work permit application. High integrity pipe welders plus 27 categories of engineers, physicists, and supervisors - as well as assistants - may now bypass the resident labor market test.

A recent conference in Wellington, New Zealand highlighted the positive contributions of immigrants to the country. Research was presented that strongly suggests that many perceived negative impacts of immigrants are largely unfounded. New research presented at the conference shows that each immigrant provides an annual, net economic gain for New Zealand of $3547, while native New Zealanders only contribute $915

Increases in home prices also appear to be more dramatic in areas where expatriate New Zealanders return from overseas, whereas home prices in communities with a significant immigrant population have seen only modest increases.

Several news sources are reporting that Russian officials have suspended issuing work permits for foreign employees in the Moscow region. The Federal Migration Service (FMS) has not issued an official declaration yet, but the work permit quota for the local Moscow region for 2008 seems to have been met.

Moscow's annual regional quota is 105,664. Regions have a 30% "reserve" of potential, extra work permits. The federal government needs to make a decision on whether to release this reserve; however no date has been set for such a decision.

• Canada: Immigration reforms pass Commons

  A controversial bill has passed a final vote in the Commons on 09 June 2008 which contains immigration reforms allowing Canada to choose migrants based on the skills they need rather than in a "first come, first serve" basis.more  »

• Immigration vital to New Zealand economy

  At a recent conference in Wellington, New Zealand, attendees were told that immigrants could be four times more valuable to the economy than their native-born counterparts. Also, new research shows that there is little evidence that migrants drive up the price of homes in New Zealand.more  »

• Canada underlines support for immigrant language training

  At a recent conference for language training administrators, Parliamentary Secretary Ed Komarnicki underlined the Canadian government's support for organizations that deliver language training to immigrants.more  »

• UK invites English language assessors to submit tests for Tier 2

  The United Kingdom's Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) has issued an invitation for organizations who award English language tests to submit their tests to UK immigration for assessment to ensure that they meet the requirements for most Skilled Workers under Tier 2.more  »

• Updates to shortage occupation list for UK foreign workers

  On 6 June 2008, the United Kingdom updated its National Shortage Occupation List (NSOL), adding 28 new occupations and amending the titles of two others.more  »

• Russia: Moscow stops issuing work permits

  Various sources are reporting that Russian officials have suspended issuing work permits for foreign employees in and around the Moscow area.more  »

• Google speaks out on H-1B visas

  In a post on its public policy blog, on 5 June 2008, Google voiced its desire to see the U.S. government raise the "artificially low" H-1B visa cap. The Internet search giant submitted 300 H-1B visa applications in 2008, of which 90 were denied.more  »

• Queensland, Australia lures UK migrants Down Under

  The government of Queensland, in a partnership with other Australian states and territories, is attempting to lure British workers to Australia with a migration information "roadshow" across the UK.more  »

• New study finds UK needs more highly skilled migrants

  A new study finds that the United Kingdom will need to attract more highly skilled workers from abroad in order to "secure the future" of its high technology sector.more  »