Immigration news

Proposed changes to the Subclass 457 Visa in Australia could mean that finding a job there will become easier.

A government-commissioned report has criticised the Temporary Skilled Worker visa program for being too complicated for applicants and employers alike.

The Subclass 457 visa allows employers to recruit overseas workers when there are no suitable Australians or permanent residents to fill the position. Since 2013 with the introduction of labour market testing and other changes it has been more difficult the meet the 457 visa requirements.

The Federal Skilled Worker Program in Canada will end at the end of this year, giving candidates interested in skilled immigration less than three months to apply.

The program is based on a points system, which it is hoped will mean that only candidates who are likely to establish themselves successfully in Canada will gain entry. To be eligible for the program you need to gain enough points and meet one of the basic eligibility requirements:

New York City will, this week, join a growing list of US cities who are challenging US immigration policy.

A forthcoming New York City bill if brought into law would mean that New York would no longer be required to hand over inmates who are illegal immigrants to the federal authorities, unless a warrant was issued by a federal judge.

Even if a warrant has been issued, the New York Police Department would only be obliged to hand over immigrants who had previously been convicted of a violent or serious crime, or those who were suspected of terrorism.

In a speech to a Hispanic audience last week President Obama promised he will keep fighting for immigration reform.

Speaking to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, he has renewed his pledge to keep fighting for immigration reform. As Congress is unlikely to agree on immigration reform any time soon he intends to use his powers as President to take executive action before the end of the year.

Obama intends to use executive action to bypass Congress, and push through more limited immigration reform.

A Spanish-born entrepreneur has warned that unless the current visa system is changed, then other entrepreneurs will begin to look elsewhere.

Iñaki Berenguer recently sold his first company for $26.5m, and is now working on his second startup. He points out that many tech entrepreneurs still consider the US the ideal location for starting up a business as it offers infrastructure, capital, resources and customers. 'If you want to make it big, you have to come to the US,' he says.

An immigration researcher has condemned US officials for allowing a man who, unknowingly, was carrying the ebola virus to enter the United States. Jessica Vaughn is a researcher from the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, an organisation who want to see a reduction in migration to the US.