Topical:
A new study by a recruiting firm has come to the conclusion that the UK's immigration cap will harm businesses and create further labour shortages.
Specialist recruiting firm Poolia surveyed a number of businesses expected to be affected by the UK Government's permanent immigration cap that starts in April 2011. The findings would suggest that the cap will be bad for UK business, increasing costs and leading to more gaps in the labour market.
Canada is seeing an increasing number of Irish immigrant arrivals as Ireland continues to experience an economic downturn.
A recent report by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) estimates that almost 1,000 people are leaving Ireland each week, many of them highly skilled workers.
"Worldwide, [Canada] is looking like the superstar of how to manage your economy," Eamonn O'Loghlin, executive director of the Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce told the 'National Post.'
The Business Council of Australia has urged the Australian government to increase temporary skilled immigration.
The resources sector of Australia, which includes industries such as mining, are concerned about expected skills shortages as a number of multi-billion dollar projects get underway.
The BCA has urged the government to make changes to the 457 visa program and introduce a special faster labour agreement to approve visas for large projects.
A new survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) finds that many employers in the UK public sector are having a difficult time filling job openings due to more stringent immigration rules.
The study found that one in six employers -- a good proportion of which are in the National Health Service -- say that they have not been able to recruit workers from overseas due to the recent cap on immigration.
Immigration changes from 6 April 2011 include the following:
If you are already in the UK and wish to switch into a Tier 1 (General) highly skilled visa, you should apply as soon as possible. On 6 April 2011, this category will end and be replaced with the 'exceptional talent' visa which will be very difficult to obtain.
Exceptional talent visas will be limited to 1,000 visas per year, making the chances of entry to the UK under this visa even less likely.
In 2010, Canada welcomed 96,147 foreign students, an increase of 28,292 over the number recorded five years ago.
According to a study commissioned by the Canadian government entitled Economic Impact of International Education in Canada, foreign Student immigration resulted in CAD $6.5 billion of expenditure each year by overseas students in the Canadian economy.