Canada: Medical Exams for Many Long-Term Visitors

Canada will introduce a four-year cap on the time some work permit holders can work in Canada and a two-year probation period for employers that fail to meet their commitments under the work permit program. These new restrictions will take effect April 1, 2011. »

The U.S. Senate has passed by unanimous consent the Emergency Border Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010, which contains provisions that will raise fees for certain employers with a U.S. workforce of more than fifty percent H-1B or L-1 nonimmigrants. The bill was initially... »

Priority date cut-offs in the third employment-based immigrant category will advance substantially for most countries, but will move forward more modestly for China and will be unchanged for India. »

This morning, the U.S. Senate passed by unanimous consent the Emergency Border Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010, which contains provisions that will raise fees for certain employers with a U.S. workforce of more than fifty percent H-1B or L-1 nonimmigrants. »

The Indian government recently issued guidelines that introduce new criteria for employment visas and clarify the maximum validity and extension periods for business visas. The new guidelines also address in-country registration requirements for employment and business visa holders. »

Foreign nationals applying for authorization to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program will be required to pay a fee of US$14.00 beginning September 8, 2010. Beginning September 8, 2010, foreign nationals planning to enter the United States under the Visa Waiver... »

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has introduced several new features to its website and online case status system. Among the new features is an online e-Request tool that allows individuals who have filed a Form I-90 application to replace a permanent residence card or... »

Foreign nationals from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland who are applying to enter or remain in the UK as the spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner of a British citizen, UK permanent resident or a holder of some form of settled... »

A federal judge has blocked the State of Arizona from implementing the most controversial provisions of its new immigration law, including a provision that would have required police officers to check the immigration status of individuals suspected of being undocumented and a provision that... »

On July 22, Federal District Judge Susan R. Bolton held hearings in United States v. Arizona and Friendly House v. Whiting, the two principal challenges to S.B. 1070, Arizona’s controversial new immigration law. The plaintiffs in both suits are seeking a preliminary injunction that... »

The Department of Homeland Security is finalizing the legal requirements for employers who wish to perform the Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification process electronically. »

The UK government’s temporary cap on the number of foreign workers that it admits took effect on July 19, 2010 and will last until April 1, 2011. The UK Border Agency (UKBA) released new policy guidance detailing how the caps will apply to cases... »

Transitory Visitor status continues to be available to foreign nationals for business visits and short-term work, but is subject to new rules, following a recent clarification from the country’s Migration Office. Under the new rules, the appropriate uses of this status for both business... »

The Department of State (DOS) has released the August Visa Bulletin, its projection of immigrant visa availability for the coming month. In August, priority date cut-offs for all nearly all employment-based preference categories and countries will advance, some substantially. These advancements are consistent with... »