Immigration news

The Australia Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) announced they will perform an evaluation of the Professional Year visa program in 2011-2012. The evaluation will assess if the Professional Year visa is achieving its original objectives and also identify potential improvements to the immigration program.

The British Columbia government in Canada is setting up a task force aimed at boosting the number of skilled workers and investors immigrating to the province. Premier Christy Clark announced this week the creation of a new task force to review how skilled immigrants and foreign investors come to the province and how to better attract skilled workers looking to emigrate.

London businesses are postponing expansion plans and even considering moving abroad amidst fears of the UK government placing even tougher restrictions on UK Tier 2 work visas, according to a new report.

The United States and Canada announced this week plans for a joint border protection and trade deal. The goal is to develop common practices to screen travellers and cargo, with both countries agreeing it will clamp down on terrorism while expediting the border-crossing process for legitimate Canadian and American travellers and businesses.

Germany needs to change their immigration laws in order to attract more skilled workers and professionals from other countries to help deal with their ongoing skills shortages, an expert committee's report revealed last week.

Hospitality and tourism industry leaders are pressing the British government to reform the UK visa system, claiming that the slow processing of Visitor Visa applications and government red tape are negatively affecting the growth of the hospitality industry and discouraging visitors from coming to the UK.