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The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for July 2016 reflects a final action date of January 1, 2010, for EB-4 visas for special immigrants from Mexico. This means that starting on July 1, 2016, applicants from Mexico who filed Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, on or after January 1, 2010, will… Read More
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on May 20, 2016, that it had received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the numerical limit (cap) of 12,999 workers who may be issued CW-1 visas or otherwise provided with CW-1 status for fiscal year (FY) 2016. May 5 was the final receipt date for CW-1… Read More
REFUGEES AND RELATED BENEFITS: AN OVERVIEW This article provides an overview of recent developments with respect to refugees and the benefits granted to them. Canada In September 2015, a news photograph of a drowned Syrian child sparked a heated debate over refugee rights and Canada’s role to provide refuge. Ever since then, refugee rights have… Read More
Belgium Below is a summary of details on work permit exemptions, related to technical work, for foreign employees in Belgium. In principle, any employment in Belgium of a foreign employee requires a work permit, unless an exemption applies. Several activities are considered business visitors’ activities, which do not trigger a work permit requirement, such as… Read More
CANADA Several developments have been announced. Many are being caught unprepared by new primary inspection tools. Beginning in November 2015, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) updated its frontline systems so that CBSA officers working the Primary Inspection Line (PIL) at border crossings now have immediate access to the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database.… Read More
ITALY Several developments have been announced. Tax on residence permits declared void. The TAR, Lazio’s Regional Administrative Court, has declared void part of the Ministerial decree of October 6, 2011, introducing a residence permit tax and abolishing the fee on applications. This comes after the European Court of Justice had judged the Italian residence permit… Read More
RUSSIA The Federal Migration Service of Russia has been reorganized. On April 5, 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a Presidential Order reorganizing the Federal Migration Service of Russia. Specifically, it no longer exists as an independent government service. It is one of the departments of the Internal Affairs Ministry. Previously, the Federal Migration Service… Read More
TURKEY The European Commission has proposed visa-free travel for Turkish nationals in the Schengen area. Under a European Commission proposal for visa-free travel for Turkish citizens in the Schengen area, Turks would have visa-free access to the 26 countries of the Schengen zone. This is reportedly in return for Turkey accepting back an outflow of… Read More
UNITED KINGDOM Several developments have been announced. Immigration Act 2016 Enacted The Immigration Bill has completed its passage through Parliament. The bill received Royal Assent on May 12, 2016, and was published on May 17, 2016, as the Immigration Act 2016. The bill creates a number of new criminal offenses of which both individuals and… Read More
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a proposed rule on May 4, 2016, to increase USCIS fees by a “weighted average” of 21 percent and add one new fee for EB-5 Regional Centers. In addition, among other things, USCIS proposes to clarify that persons filing a benefit request may be required to appear for… Read More