Immigration news

The Philippine's Department of Foreign Affairs reminds Filipino caregivers working in the UK about the new immigration rules that specifies a minimum hourly wage for caregivers seeking permanent residence.According to the new policy, before settlement visas can be issued to foreign caregivers, they must be receiving an hourly wage of at least £7.02. Only those receiving this amount would be eligible to apply for an Indefinite Leave to Remain visas, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said.

The U.S. State Department announced Monday they will significantly increase the number of US Embassy visa officials in Brazil and China over the next year, citing a surge in demand for US visas in these countries. The department will add at least 100 more visa officials in China and Brazil, who experienced a 34 percent and 42 percent increase, respectively, in visa applications last year.

The UK Border Agency has announced new policy guidance after the Supreme Court declared the government's ban on non-EU foreign spouses aged under 21 applying for UK marriage visas unlawful.The ban, introduced in 2008, stated that foreign spouses and their sponsors in the UK must meet a minimum age of 21, instead of the previous age of 18, before the foreign spouse could be granted a visa. Although it was designed to stop forced marriages, the Supreme Court ruled that the change in the rule disproportionately interfered with the rights of those who were in genuine marriages.

A leading non-profit organisation, the HSMP Forum that campaigns in support of the immigration rights of Indian and non-EU professionals, has strongly opposed the newly announced recommendation by the Migration Advisory Committee that the salary threshold for professionals seeking to permanently settle in the UK will in most cases be significantly increased. There are many Indian professionals in the UK under the Tier 2 visa.

Canadian immigration will be accepting an additional 10,000 parents and grandparents into Canada next year as part of a comprehensive approach to speeding up family reunification and reducing an ever-increasing backlog.

Australia and Argentina signed a work and holiday visa agreement this week, allowing young people to enjoy an extended holiday in the two countries, announced Australian Immigration officials.The Memorandum of Understanding for the Australian Work and Holiday Subclass 462 visa and the equivalent Argentinian visa was signed yesterday by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen, and the Argentine Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Mr Pedro Villagra Delgado, at Parliament House in Canberra.