Immigration news

US employers have welcomed the news that research analysts will be added to the H1B visa speciality occupation list. A federal court in the Northern District of California recently approved a settlement under which United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agreed to classify ‘market research analyst’ as a speciality occupation.

 

The decision has been described as a ‘major victory’ for US companies that rely on the H1B visa system. Under previous rules, the USCIS did not recognise market research analysts as a ‘speciality occupation’.

The Home Office is reportedly reviewing its EU family permit policy after campaigners claimed that hundreds of dependent EU nationals are still waiting for a permit to join relatives in Britain. In the summer of 2020, legal action was taken against the Home Office challenging a decision to deny some extended family members of UK citizens the right to live in Britain.

 

By Sanwar Ali: The White House confirmed on Monday 25 October that all current COVID-19 travel bans will end from 12:01 am Eastern Standard Time on Monday 8 November 2021.  There will however be a new policy that will apply to everyone irrespective of nationality and place of residence.  The new policy will be based on vaccination status and whether or not the traveller has tested negative for COVID-19. 

Details of various changes have recently been reported in the National Law Review.  Currently if

The US is reportedly considering adding Bulgaria, Cyprus, Romania and Israel to its Visa Waiver Program (VWP), US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas has announced.

 

In a statement, Mayorkas said: “We have four candidates in the pipeline: Israel, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania. We’re very, very focused on the program.”

Britain will attempt to attract top global talent with a new Scale-Up Visa, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced as part of his 2021 budget. The visa is expected to launch in the spring of 2022 and will give fast-growing businesses access to highly skilled workers from overseas.

 

It’s understood that the visa will be available to foreign nationals who have a high-skilled job offer in the UK from an eligible business and pay a minimum salary of £33,000. Announcing the new Scale-Up Visa, Sunak said: “An economy built on innovation must be open and attractive to the “best and brightest minds.”

By Sanwar Ali: One of the big expenses of travelling to the UK has been the cost of a COVID-19 test.  From Sunday 24 October 2021, if you are arriving in England from a non-red list country, you can now take lateral flow tests instead of the much more expensive PCR tests.  The test is taken on or before day 2 following arrival in England.  Wales will make the change in about a week.  Scotland and Wales may follow.  This will be a significant benefit to people arriving into the UK including