Immigration news

The Organization of American States (OAS) – an organization made up of 35 independent states across the Americas and founded for the purposes of regional solidarity - is to launch an inquiry into the Dominican Republic's migration policies; the country has agreed to cooperate with the investigation. Member Countries of OAS include the USA, Canada and Mexico.

An OAS team will be sent to the Dominican Republic's capital city, Santo Domingo, to investigate why thousands of migrants have left for Haiti in recent weeks.

A migrant died on Tuesday July 7th while attempting to board a moving freight train in Calais on the way to the UK according to Eurotunnel officials. The migrant, whose name, sex, and nationality have not been officially released, is the second to die in similar circumstances in as many weeks while trying to enter the UK through France. The UK is one of the most popular immigration destinations in the World.

From 6 April 2016 most Tier 2 visa immigrants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) must be earning £35,000 or more to qualify for UK indefinite leave to remain (also known as permanent residence), says the Home Office. Theresa May said the new rules will help to reduce the number of non-European Union/EEA nationals and their dependants that are granted permanent residence each year from 60,000 to 20,000.

Hungary is taking steps to make it difficult for asylum seekers to claim asylum in their Country. So far this year nearly 72,000 asylum seekers have reached Hungary via the border with Serbia. Most asylum seekers do not stay in Hungary. They leave for wealthier Western European Countries in the EU such as Germany. This is relatively easy to do as Hungary is in the Schengen zone which allows free movement in 26 European Countries.

Indian IT company, Infosys, a global leader in consulting, technology and outsourcing has said that they will rely less on the H-1B visa for its US facilities. Infosys CEO, Vishal Sikka, who took over the reins of the organization in August, 2014, announced to shareholders a more visa-independent strategy at the company's 34th Annual General Meeting.

Sikka hopes that the employment of more local workers and less reliance on the H-1B visa will help the company to reach its revenue goal of $20 billion by 2020. Infosys is also seeking to improve its sales effectiveness as part of a wider strategy.

A recently announced budget deal in California could pave the way for children, living in the USA illegally, to receive state-funded healthcare coverage. California would be the first state in the US to subsidize the healthcare costs of illegal immigrant children.

A deal struck between Governor Jerry Brown and legislative leaders would provide cover for an estimated 170,000 immigrants aged 18 years and under. It's expected that the plan will easily pass the state Senate and Assembly.