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The Dean of Students at Canada's prestigious McGill University says that the strike by Canadian immigration officers posted overseas may prevent some students from successfully enrolling before the start of the academic year in September.
A Democratic Congressman, Luis Gutierrez, has said that the comprehensive immigration reform bill currently before Congress has enough support to become law and has called on the Republican leader in the House of Representatives to allow it to go to a vote.
Mr Gutierrez is a member of the House of Representatives (known as 'The House' for short) for the state of Illinois and one of seven Representatives attempting to win sufficient support for the bill in the House.
The Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced that, from now on, all asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat will be sent to the processing centre on the island of Manus, which is part of Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Mr Rudd said 'As of today asylum seekers who come here by boat without a visa will never be settled in Australia.' Instead, if an individual's asylum application is successful, he or she will be offered citizenship in PNG, Mr Rudd said. The new arrangement came into force on 19th July 2013 after an agreement was signed by Mr Rudd and the PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.
Quebec's department of immigration has announced a reform of the province's immigration system. In particular, the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) will be governed by new rules from August 1st 2013.
From that date, the QSWP will accept only 20,000 applications each year. Individuals who apply under the program but already have an offer of employment will not be subject to this cap. Successful applicants will be able to apply to the federal immigration authorities for a Canadian permanent resident visa.
The UK government has announced several proposals for the forthcoming immigration bill which will be voted on by parliament later in 2013. The government has announced its intention to make sure that immigration enforcement is a consideration in all government business.
The Prime Minister David Cameron established a committee in March chaired by immigration minister Steven Harper to look at ways to ensure that illegal immigrants found it harder to live and work in the UK.
The UK's Office for Budgetary Responsibility (OBR) has advised the government that the country requires high levels of immigration to help grow the economy. It says that young migrants who come to the UK as skilled workers will have the greatest beneficial effect on the national accounts.