Immigration news

A jointly compiled report published on 4 February 2016 by international recruitment agency, Hays and the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) found that just 38 per cent of Irish SMEs believe they can compete with multinational companies in the recruitment of highly-skilled individuals. The findings have led to calls from SMEs for the country's work permit system to be changed so that if they cannot hire the skilled workers they need locally they can more easily hire people from outside of the EU.

There are increasing numbers of Irish citizens remaining in Australia after their visas expire. Some Irish nationals who are no longer in work simply cannot afford the flight and resettlement costs to return to Ireland.

Irish citizens in Australia are also facing greater difficulties securing permanent residency due to changes in Australian immigration laws. Australian permanent residence makes it easier to find work as residents can work freely for any employer. If they are unable to obtain residence or a work visa some of them feel there is no alternative but to overstay in Australia.

Figures released by Australia's Department of Immigration and Border Protection show that the number of 457 visas being issued to foreign workers has increased by 40 per cent across the state of Tasmania.

Due to an ongoing skills crisis, the number of visas issued in the first quarter of the financial year rose by 43 per cent compared with the same period 12 months ago.

The owner of a small chain of curry houses across Kent - a county in South East England - says that being unable to recruit chefs from Southern Asia due to tough uk immigration rules is causing major problems for his restaurant chain. In an interview with The Economist, Pasha Khandaker says that he was forced to close one of his restaurants eight months ago; others in his chain continue to struggle.

A recently published government review of UK domestic worker visas, commissioned in March 2015, has exposed shocking cases of slavery, trafficking and abuse due it is said because of tougher UK immigration controls. The Home Office requested the independent review, authored by barrister James Ewins, to investigate the state of the domestic worker visa system.

As long as they make money for him.

It's no secret that US Republican Presidential Candidate, Donald Trump, is a racist. Much of his election campaign has focused on a hard-line and somewhat extreme US immigration policy: he wants to see Muslims banned from entering the country. However, in an apparent contradiction to his apparent 'Islamophobia', he depends on Muslims to make him money.