Global Immigration News May Update

May 2024 Immigration Updates

Australia

Following the annual budget, the Australian government has made a number of updates to its existing visa pathways. 

Key changes include the reduction of the work experience requirement for the Temporary Skill Shortage visa from two years to one year, while the existing Global Talent Visa is set to be replaced by the National Innovation Visa. 

At the start of May, the financial requirements for the Australian Student and Student Guardian Visas were increased. This means applicants must now have funds equal to 75 per cent of the annual national minimum to be approved. 

The new rule will require overseas students to evidence savings of at least AUD$29,710. This is the second increase in the financial criteria in the past year – up from AUD$21,041 in September 2023.

Canada

With increased processing times, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have announced a number of changes to help elevate backlogs. 

Future submissions to the Self-Employed Persons Program have been suspended in order to allow existing applications to be processed following wait times rising to around four years. 

Those looking to benefit from the Start-up Visa Program should be aware the IRCC will cap the number of permanent residence applications per year to just ten per designated organisation to help get back on track. However, this is thought to be a temporary decision, with the Canadian government expected to be considering a complete revamp of the program in the long-term. 

The IRCC also confirmed international students working off-campus will no longer be able to benefit from a temporary increase in their permitted employment hours of 20 per work but new changes coming in Autumn look to set a new limit of 24 weekly hours.

China

The extended visa exemptions granted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry for those visiting the country for a short-term will continue until at least the end of 2025.

Nationals from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland will continue to not require a visa if staying in China for 15 days or less.

European Union /Schengen Area

It has been confirmed that the cost of the popular Schengen visa will increase from 80 euros to 90 euros for adults and from 40 euros to 45 euros for children aged between six and 12. The new price will apply for all visas applied for after June 11th. 

The Schengen visa fees have not risen since the start of 2020 but have now increased following a routine review of European Union visa costs. Last year, the 29 member states of the Schengen area saw 10.3 million short-stay visa applications – an increase of 37 per cent compared to 2022.

France

To help ensure residence permit holders are aware of their obligations, the French immigration services have launched a new alert system to notify when permits are due to expire. 

Residence permit holders will receive an email and text message letting them know when they have four months remaining and then again when they have two months and one week left before they should renew. 

It is hoped the new notification system will play a key role in reducing late renewal requests and ensure less people are having to pay the associated late payment fees.

Ireland

A change has been announced in Ireland that will have a significant benefit for spouses and partners of General Employment Permit and Intracompany Transfer Employment Permit holders. 

The update means eligible partners will automatically be granted the right to work in Ireland via a stamp IG, rather than Stamp 3, permission and will no longer have to obtain a separate employment permit. 

It is hoped the changes will increase Ireland’s competitiveness in attracting appropriately skilled workers to fill key vacancies.

Italy

Non-nationals who have worked overseas for an Italian company for at least a year can work in Italy for the same company under the special out-of-quota work permit – meaning they are exempt from any existing quota restrictions. 

Applications for this permit can now be made online. However, to be eligible applicants must have worked for the Italian company for at least 12 months in the 48 months period before making an application.

New Zealand

Starting next month, but announced in May, Immigration New Zealand now requires all visitor visa applications to submit documents in English or provide certified translated copies of any non-English paperwork. 

It is hoped the change will speed up processing for all visitor visas and it is likely that failure to follow the new requirement will lead to rejection.

Thailand

In a move to attract remote workers and digital nomads, Thailand has announced the new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV).

The DTV will be issued for a five year period and allows holders to stay in the country for up to 180 days per year. However, it will be possible to extend their stay once by 180 days for an additional fee of 10,000 baht.

Applicants must be aged at least 20 and will need to ensure they can show evidence of access to at least 500,000 baht during their time in Thailand. Other requirements include only working for companies or clients that are based overseas while in Thailand. If the holders wish to work for a Thai business they will still need to apply for the appropriate work permit.

United Arab Emirates

A new 10-year residency visa has been announced by the UAE to attract the world’s leading specialists in environmental impact and sustainability. The Blue Residency Visa will accept applicants from those who have contributed significantly to protecting the environment or are award winning global activists or researchers.

United Kingdom

While there has not been any major immigration visa news announced in the UK during May, the announcement of the country’s next General Election on July 4th means it is highly likely that immigration issues will be a key talking point for all parties over the coming weeks. Sign up for our UK-specific newsletters to keep up-to-date with the latest happenings.

How IAS Can Help With Global Immigration Changes

With so many changes being regularly announced concerning global immigration and migration it can be difficult to keep up–to-date with how they may impact on you or your business. Reaching out to an immigration expert can help you stay informed and ensure compliance.

For the latest information on global immigration and the range of visas available to those seeking to live, work or study overseas get in touch with our knowledgeable IAS team on +44 (0)333 414 9244 or use our live chat service.