Dear Visitor

Germany has approved proposals to help make the country more attractive to highly skilled foreign workers. The German cabinet approved the plan on July 16th, aimed at reducing skilled labor shortages in sectors such as engineering and information technology.

Graduates from newer European Union Member States may work freely in Germany from January 1st, 2009 without having to prove a German worker was available to fill the position. The required wage for highly skilled foreign workers to be approved for a work permit is reduced by over 25%.

Employers in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan need more qualified personnel in fields such as mechanical trades. A new test project has been announced to make it easier for immigrants in Saskatchewan to have their foreign credentials recognized.

The new project will implement a system allowing immigrants to have credentials & job experience obtained abroad recognized as equal to established Canadian standards. The Foreign Credentials Recognition Support for Labour Market Needs in Saskatchewan project will receive CAD $3 million from the federal government to get started.

Did you get an HSMP visa before 07 November 2006?

You may be eligible to extend your old HSMP visa under the old rules!

You MUST have received your HSMP approval before 07 November 2006:

• if you applied for an extension and were refused;
• if you need to file an extension (or already have);
• if you have lodged an appeal; OR
• if you switched categories because you could not qualify under the changes

We can help you get your extension under the old rules. Contact us at our London office. You may also email us directly at hsmp@workpermit.com.

Australia may need to let in more unskilled foreign labor to meet critical shortages in some industries. Immigration Minister Chris Evans told the John Curtin Institute of Public Policy that the agricultural, hospitality, and aged care industries are demanding access to unskilled and semi-skilled workers from overseas.

According to Evans, in some cases businesses may be forced to shut down if they cannot fill vacancies with foreign workers. He characterized the Australian economy as "already reliant" on "temporary and unskilled foreign labor." Current Australian immigration policy gives preference to skilled immigrants.

New immigration data from Australia shows nearly a 27% increase in its 457 temporary skilled migration program for the 2007-2008 fiscal year. Over 110,000 temporary visas were granted to foreign workers and their dependents for that time period, compared to over 87,000 during the previous one.

The number of primary visa holders increased from 46,680 to 58,050, up almost 25%. New South Wales had the largest number of primary 457 visa holders, followed by Western Australia. Nearly 25% of 457 visa holders for 2007-2008 came from the United Kingdom. They were followed by India at 14%, the Philippines at 9%, and the U.S., South Africa and China at 6% each.

ANNOUNCING - Vacancies for Australian & Canadian Immigration Experts

We are looking for immigration consultants experienced in Australian and Canadian immigration. This is an exciting opportunity to join our Migration Team in the workpermit.com Head Office in Central London.

If interested please email worklondon@workpermit.com with a covering letter and CV.

In October the United States will begin accepting submissions for the Diversity Visa Lottery for 2010 -- commonly referred to as the Green Card Lottery. 55,000 permanent residence visas will be made available to lucky winners. Even small mistakes can lead to an application being ineligible, so please see the United States Diversity Visa section of our website for up-to-date details.

If you would like to apply for the Green Card Lottery and wish to prepare your submission now, workpermit.com can help you with your application. For a small fee, our immigration lawyers will provide professional advice and evaluate your application to make sure that everything is in order. We can also submit your application for you.

In April this year, a UK High Court found that the British government acted unlawfully by changing the rules for migrants wishing to extend their stay in the UK under the HSMP scheme. The UK Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) has now implemented arrangements for three groups of people covered by the judgment.

The first group are those currently residing in the UK under HSMP and have either applied for an extension or will need to do so in the future. For these people, extension requirements are now the same that were in place prior to 07 November 2006.

The second group covers those who were refused an extension and are in the process of making an appeal. The BIA will withdraw decisions that led to appeals or a judicial review claim and will reconsider cases in this category under the old HSMP rules.

The third group covers those who were refused an extension under HSMP and have since switched to a different immigration category. Individuals in this group may ask the BIA to reconsider their original HSMP extension under the old rules.

Scotland's census agency, the General Registers of Scotland, is reporting that the country's population has risen to its highest level in 25 years, mainly due to immigration. Scotland's population was expected to start falling dramatically as the mortality rate begins to outpace the birth rate.

However, immigration into Scotland and more births than expected have reversed the downward trend. Immigrants have had a significant impact on Scotland's increasing birth rate, with one in three babies born to foreign-born parents in 2007. Scotland's population is now expected to remain above five million until at least the 2070s.

• Canada: Saskatchewan improves foreign credential recognition

  Many employers in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan are struggling to hire qualified personnel in fields such as mechanical trades. However, the available pool of workers should increase with a new test project that will help immigrants in Saskatchewan have their foreign credentials recognized easier. more  »

• Australia reducing labor shortages through skilled immigration

  New data released by immigration authorities in Australia show a 27 percent increase in its temporary skilled migration program for 2007-08 financial year. more  »

• Minister says Australia needs unskilled overseas labor

  Australia may need to let in more unskilled foreign labor to meet critical shortages in some industries, according to Immigration Minister Chris Evans. more  »

• Germany approves plan to make skilled immigration easier

  Germany is expected to ease rules to allow in foreign labor to help make the country more attractive to highly skilled individuals. more  »

• UK: Scotland's population increased by immigration

  The General Registers of Scotland, the country's census agency, will report this week that Scotland's population has risen to its highest level in 25 years -- mainly due to immigration. more  »

• HSMP judicial review arrangements put into action

  Many highly skilled foreign workers are cheering a decision by a UK High Court which grants a reprieve to potentially thousands of HSMP visa holders who arrived in the UK before 2007 and then subsequently were required to leave because they failed to pass updated extension requirements. A recent judgment by the court found that the British government acted unlawfully by changing the rules for migrants wishing to extend their stay in the UK. more  »

• Get your USA Green Card Lottery application in early

  In October of this year, the United States will start to take submissions for the Green Card Lottery to determine who the recipients will be for 55,000 permanent residence visas. more  »

• Canada and Poland sign Youth Mobility Agreement

  A new agreement between Canada and Poland will allow young people in each country to travel and work in the other for up to one year. more  »