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Immigration news

Ireland’s Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) is to investigate a man arrested by police in Limerick on suspicion of helping to orchestrate the London terror attacks on 3 June, 2017. Sources say that the man, found working as a chef in the city, was in possession of an identity paper number issued in the name of terrorist, Rachid Redouane.

In an unprecedented move, the European Union has taken steps to enforce pro-migrant sanctions against three member states – the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. According to a report published by the Centre for Research on Globalization, the three countries targeted have refused the demands of Brussels to accept Greek and Italian-based migrants.

The governments of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland argue that the European Union has no legal right to force them to take in migrants. In doing so, they believe their national and social security would be put at risk.

A detailed outline, which involves ‘tweaking’ the current Tier 2 visa, has been drawn up for Scotland with a view to keeping EU immigrants in the country. The plan, developed by experts at the University of Edinburgh, will have less stringent restrictions compared with the rest of the UK for lower-skilled immigrants post-Brexit.

After scrapping the 457 visa, the Australian Federal government continued its assault on foreign workers in the federal budget. Scott Morrison, the Australian treasurer has announced a levy on highly-skilled foreign worker visas with a view to establishing a new skill building fund.

It’s estimated that over the next four years, $1.2 billion will be generated as a result of a skilled visa levy that will directly contribute to a new Commonwealth-State ‘Skilling Australians Fund.’

The Home Office has increased the number of unannounced Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence audits in recent months. It’s understood that especially, though not exclusively, the Home Office is targeting employers judged to have scored highly in the Home Office’s risk assessment protocol.

Following the latest Tier 2 visa allocation meeting, the number of Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) available for July 2017 stands at 2,321, according to UK Visas and Immigration data. The department published its June report citing that its figures were correct as of 19 June, 2017.