Wednesday 30 March 2011

Australia State Migration Plans – processing updates

We are seeing a large discrepancy in processing times for state sponsorship under a State Migration Plan. This is the process where migrants apply to a state government to sponsor their migration application.

This then allows the migrant to receive priority processing in their residence visa application.

The following are average processing times for state sponsorship for different states;

Western Australia 2 weeks
South Australia 2 months
Australian Capital Territory 2 months
Victoria 3 months
New South Wales 3 -4 weeks

www.commonwealthimmigration.com

Wednesday 23 March 2011

UK visas - Post Study Work category to be scrapped

The changes keep on coming in UK immigration !

Following on from the recent announcements on Investors and Entrepreneurs, the government have now announced a series of changes to Student visas.

The main changes see the scrapping of the 2 year Post Study Work visa route after April 2012. New, tougher requirements to speak English will also be introduced for student visas.

Working rights for students are to be curtailed except for those at universities and other publicly funded institutions.

Only students on postgraduate courses are allowed to bring dependents to the UK.

These are major changes and we have reprinted from the Home Office website to ensure the exact positions is clarified to all clients.

For those of you, who need assistance with UK visas applications, please contact us through our website;

http://www.commonwealthimmigration.com/immigration-advice-uk.htm

From April 2012, any institution wanting to sponsor students will need to be classed as a Highly Trusted sponsor, and will need to become accredited by a statutory education inspection body by the end of 2012. The current system does not require this, and has allowed too many poor-quality colleges to become sponsors.

Students coming to study at degree level will need to speak English at an 'upper intermediate' (B2) level, rather than the current 'lower intermediate' (B1) requirement.

UK Border Agency staff will be able to refuse entry to students who cannot speak English without an interpreter, and who therefore clearly do not meet the minimum standard.

Students at universities and publicly funded further education colleges will retain their current work rights, but all other students will have no right to work. We will place restrictions on work placements in courses outside universities.

Only postgraduate students at universities and government-sponsored students will be able to bring their dependants. At the moment, all students on longer courses can bring their dependants.

We will limit the overall time that can be spent on a student visa to 3 years at lower levels (as it is now) and 5 years at higher levels. At present, there is no time limit for study at or above degree level.

We will close the Tier 1 (Post-study work) route, which allows students 2 years to seek employment after their course ends. Only graduates who have an offer of a skilled job from a sponsoring employer under Tier 2 of the points-based system will be able to stay to work.

Thursday 17 March 2011

New criteria for Investors, Entrepreneurs and Exceptionally Talented Migrants

A series of wide ranging changes in these visa categories have been published today by the UK Border Agency, due to be implemented from April.

For instance, the required period for Investors to secure UK settlement is reduced from the normal 5 years to 3 years for those investing £5m and down to 2 years for those investing £10m.

Major changes have also been announced to the Entrepreneur category allowing applicants to apply with lower levels of funding where they are backed by a government department or venture capitalist.

A new route for migrants of Exceptional Talent has also been launched where the migrant

“Receives the backing of a designated Competent Body, which is expert in their field”

The role of the Competent Body will be to vouch to the UK Border Agency that in their opinion the migrant is exceptionally talented.

The list of such designated Competent Bodies has yet to be released, which will make interesting reading !

These are interesting changes designed to attract skilled migrants and those with capital.

For full details, please see;

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2011/march/39-entrepreneurs-investors

and visit our website;

http://www.commonwealthimmigration.com/united_kingdom_uk.htm

Monday 14 March 2011

Worker Registration Scheme to be closed

The UK is closing the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS) effective 30 April 2011.

The WRS was established in 2004 for 8 of the new EU Accession states - Estonia, Lativa, Lithuania, Czech Rep, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Slovenia. It required the registration of any employment taken up, in an effort to monitor entry to the UK employment market.

Of course, nationals of the A8 countries, as they are known, moved to the UK in far greater numbers than ever anticipated. This in part lead to much greater restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian nationals upon joining the EU in 2007.

Under EU law, any restriction on A8 nationals is not permitted for more than 7 years after accession to the EU, hence the government's announcement.

After 30 April, A8 nationals will have complete freedom to enter the UK labour market on the same terms as nationals of other EU countries such as France, Italy etc... No registration will be required.

This will also affect the process for non EEA family members to move to the UK.

For information on EEA law in moving to the UK, please visit our dedicated EEA webpage for your Free EEA Guide;

http://www.commonwealthimmigration.com/UK-visas-permit-EEA-nationals-families.html

Tuesday 8 March 2011

NSW state migration plan

New South Wales has now launched its updated State Migration Plan (SMP).

This SMP has a particular distinction between Sydney and Regional NSW. Different areas of NSW have different lists of occupations that are eligible for sponsorship.

Sydney again focuses on finance, ICT and pharmaceuticals, while Regional NSW has a wider need including many trade occupations. Some of the popular trades needed in Regional NSW include;

Chef
Baker
Fitter (General)
Metal Machinist (1st Class)
Toolmaker
Cabinet Maker

Applicants need to research the different regions of NSW and an application needs to be submitted to a Regional Certifying Authority - i.e. a locally based official who will assess that regions needs.

For more information on moving to Australia, please see our website;

http://www.commonwealthimmigration.com/immigration-advice-australia.htm

Thursday 3 March 2011

new UK Immigration Fees

The UK Border Agency have published the new fees it intends to charge for visa applications after April 5th.

Applicants will not be surprised to see that fees are increased for all visa categories, above the rate of inflation. This increase follows on the increases in April and November 2010.

Applicants need to make sure they are paying the correct fee or their application will be returned as invalid.

For full details on the appropriate fee for your visa category, please contact us for a visa assessment;

http://www.commonwealthimmigration.com/immigration-consultants-uk.htm