Dear [Visitor]

G'day UK is a series of events that will show visitors what it is like to live in Australia. It will cover four main areas:

• Migration and
• Tourism
• Trade & investment
• Food & wine,

The event will highlight the unique range of skills, resources and opportunities offered by Australia. It is expected that the event will lead to increased interest from prospective migrants to Australia and increase the level of business interest in Australia.

From Sunday 21 June 2009 to Saturday 4 July 2009 there will be a wide range of events including a Migration Open Day in Manchester, a Migration Expo in London, Australian food and drink related promotions in Selfridges and numerous cultural events.

Due to the economic downturn in the US there are still H-1B visas available for the FY 2010 quota. Many employers simply cannot afford to employ overseas workers. In addition those companies that accept funding from the “troubled asset relief funding” are prohibited from employing foreign workers. The H-1B Visa is one of the best temporary visa categories for bringing in professional level staff with at least a bachelor’s degree. In many cases this is the only visa category available to employers to bring in professional level staff.

Applications have been accepted for the latest quota from 1 April 2009. In previous years the quota has been filled within one week of a new quota being available.

On 18 May 2009 United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that they have received approximately 45,500 H-1B petitions counting toward the Congressionally-mandated 65,000 cap. There are approximately twenty thousand visas left on the quota.

The UK Border Agency already had a concession for those applying to study A-Levels in the UK which allowed students applying to study A-Levels to make an overseas visa application based on a conditional offer. GCSE results are not released until the end of August. This is somewhat inconvenient for students as some A-Level courses start in early September.

On 5 June 2009 the UKBA agreed to extend this concession to cover all students waiting for GCSE results who wish to study A-Level equivalent courses, such as Higher Diplomas.

You will still be required to submit an unconditional offer as soon as you can, and the visa will only be issued on this basis.

Shop keepers from Pakistan, in London for 7 years	University of London Union President	working in London as an IT developer in an investment bank	Selvi, in London on a business trip

If passed, new legislation will mean that family members including same-sex partners will be able to gain faster entry to the US. This is part of the ongoing efforts at immigration reform in the US. Family based immigration would be given priority; Unused visas from previous years will increase the number of visas available.

Mike Honda, who heads the caucus of Asian Americans, said that family members in some Countries have to wait decades to gain entry to the US.

"The benefits cannot be overstated," Honda said. "American workers with families by their side are happier, healthier and more able to succeed than those distanced from loved ones for years on end."

The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) has announced that De La Rue has won the contract to produce the new British passport. The contract is worth £400 million.

The new passport will be available from October 2010. It will have a new design and improved security features, including the facility to hold fingerprint biometrics.

The IPS says that the new passport will mean less risk of identity theft and help secure the borders. It is also hoped that the new passport will meet future requirements for international travel documents.

Immigration Offices in India

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 (either office): indiaoffices@workpermit.com.

Tel: +91 11 4223 5025
Eros Corporate Tower, Nehru Place, New Delhi 110 019, India

ANNOUNCING - Vacancies for Australian & Canadian Immigration Experts


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

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

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

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

Chinese tourists are visiting Schengen visa Countries and are avoiding the UK. As the UK is not part of the Schengen visa regime tourists have to apply separately for an UK visa to visit the UK. A Schengen visa allows entry to fifteen European Countries including France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Carma Elliot, consul-general in Shanghai, said: "Most Chinese tourists want to go on a continental tour. We cannot currently capture that. But we are busily exploring the options... whether we could offer visas as part of a wider European tour."

It was announced on 13 June 2009 that a White House meeting on US immigration policy has been delayed yet again. No new date has been set for the meeting.

The meeting is to launch the Obama administrations push for immigration reform. Two meetings one on 8 June and another on 17 June have now been cancelled. It has been suggested that the reason for the delay with no new date fixed for the meeting is because President Barack Obama and his staff are finding the whole issue of immigration reform even more difficult to deal with than expected.

• UK Immigration amnesty would boost economy

  A study commissioned by the London Mayor Boris Johnson suggests that an immigration amnesty would lead to a GBP3 billion boost to the economy. The London School of Economics study also concludes that an amnesty would not lead to large scale illegal immigration; Britain's border controls would prevent this happening. The report's findings were welcomed by Johnson. more  »

• New UK Passport from next year

  The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) has announced that De La Rue has won the contract to produce the new British passport. The contract is worth £400 million. more  »

• Obama - delay in US immigration reform meeting

  It was announced on 13 June 2009 that a White House meeting on USimmigration policy has been delayed yet again. No new date has been set for the meeting. more  »

• US H-1B Visas still available

  Due to the economic downturn there are still H-1B visas available for the FY 2010 quota. Many employers simply cannot afford to employ overseas workers. In addition those companies that accept funding from the "troubled asset relief funding" are prohibited from employing foreign workers. The H-1B Visa is one of the best temporary visa categories for bringing in professional level staff with at least a bachelor's degree. In many cases this is the only visa category available to employers to bring in professional level staff. more  »

• Britain may make it easier for Chinese Tourists

  Chinese tourists are visiting Schengen visa Countries and are avoiding the UK. As the UK is not part of the Schengen visa regime tourists have to apply separately for an UK visa to visit the UK. A Schengen visa allows entry to fifteen European Countries including France, Germany, Italy and Spain. more  »

• UK Student concession will now cover A Level Equivalent Courses

  The UK Border Agency already had a concession for those applying to study A-Levels in the UK which allowed students applying to study A-Levels to make an overseas visa application based on a conditional offer. GCSE results are not released until the end of August. This is somewhat inconvenient for students as some A-Level courses start in early September. more  »

• US immigration for family members may become faster

  If passed, new legislation will mean that families members including same-sex partners will be able to gain faster entry to the US. This is part of the ongoing efforts at immigration reform in the US. Family based immigration would be given priority; Unused visas from previous years will increase the number of visas available. more  »

• Australian 457 Visa helps Employers

  The number of 457 visas issued in the period 2007 to 2008 went up by 27 percent: more  »

• European Union decides to go ahead with Blue Card

  The EU has had to deal with a falling birth rate and increased competition for skilled worker s from non EU Countries. The EU "Blue Card" will make the EU more attractive for immigrants. Skilled foreign workers will be given the right to live and work in the EU under the Blue Card scheme. more  »