Articles Posted in Top Immigration Stories

Effective immediately, travellers with ordinary Taiwan passports issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan no longer require a Temporary Resident Visa to visit Canada, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.

“Canada regularly reviews its visa requirements and has determined that Taiwan meets the criteria for a visa exemption,” said Minister Kenney. “This decision will help boost Canada’s significant trade, investment, cultural and people-to-people links to Taiwan.”
In 2009, more than 51,000 Taiwan travellers visited Canada. More than 150,000 Canadians are of Taiwanese descent.

“The decision to lift the visa requirement means that Canada will benefit from stronger ties between Taiwan and the Canadian-Taiwanese community,” said Minister Kenney.

Canada’s visa policy is based on an assessment of a number of established criteria, including immigration violation rates, asylum claims, the integrity of travel documents and the cooperation on removals by the country or territory in question.

In Taiwan’s case, Canada’s review found, among other things, a very high visitor visa approval rate for travellers from Taiwan. It also found a very low number of asylum claims from Taiwan nationals: 23 claims between 2007 and 2009. The review also found low numbers of immigration violations and removals from Canada to Taiwan. This means that a large number of people were meeting Canada’s eligibility criteria to come and visit.

The visa exemption only applies to holders of ordinary Taiwan passports issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that contain the personal identification number of the individual. During a technical visit, Canadian officials observed good passport management practices for ordinary Taiwan passports.

The EU will lift visa requirements for Eastern Partnership states if the latter introduce European security standards, a senior official has said. The European commissioner for enhancement and European neighbourhood policy, Stefan Füle, made the remarks at the opening of the second European civil society forum in Berlin on Thursday.

The European commissioner described as “extremely important” social contacts among EU citizens and the countries involved in the EU’s Eastern Partnership – Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia and Ukraine, Ukrinform’s correspondent in Germany reported.

“I believe we will be able to gradually remove barriers to the free movement of people in Europe but for this purpose our partners in the east must ensure the appropriate level of security control,” Füle said.

He also stressed the special role of civil society in promoting the liberalization of the visa regime in Europe. He described civil society as a fundamental part of the democratic process. In addition, in the countries of the Eastern Partnership civil society will help introduce the reforms that will bring these states closer to European standards. Füle stressed the important role of the Civil Society Forum which he said had become one of the most dynamic elements in the Eastern Partnership in just one year. He promised that the European Commission would listen to the recommendations of the forum participants.

The forum involves 230 public organizations from among member-states of the European Union and Eastern Partnership countries. The overall aim of the event is to develop contacts among civil society organizations and assist their dialogue with state bodies. The two-day conference is discussing the political and economic situation in the Eastern Partnership countries, social problems, energy conservation, climate protection, combating corruption and ensuring free speech.

Australia has announced changes to its independent skilled migration points test which will go into effect on 1 July 2011. The new immigration points system will put increased emphasis on work experience and high level educational qualifications.Points will continue to be awarded for study in Australia, regional study, community languages, partner skills, and for completing an approved Professional Year. However, points will no longer be awarded for a particular occupation, but an applicant must still nominate an occupation on Australia’s Skilled Occupation List (SOL).

The news points test will only apply to the following visas:
* Subclass 885 Skilled Independent
* Subclass 886 Skilled Sponsored
* Subclass 487 Skilled Regional Sponsored
* Subclass 175 Skilled Independent
* Subclass 176 Skilled Sponsored
* Subclass 475 Skilled Regional Sponsored
One significant change to the points test is that people aged 46 to 49 will now be able to apply, although no points can be earned under age for applicants from 45 to 49 years of age. The age related points will be as follows:
* Age 25-32: 30 Points
* Age 18-24 and 33-39: 25 Points
* Age 40-44: 15 Points
* Age 45-49: 0 Points
Moreover, points can be earned for English language proficiency above Competent English, which is a minimum score of 6 on each of the four components of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Points earned for higher levels of English language proficiency are as follows:
* Superior English (a score of at least 8 in each of the fourcomponents of the IELTS): 20 Points
* Proficient English (a score of at least 7 in each of the fourcomponents of the IELTS): 10 Points
The pass mark for the points test will change as well and is expected to be set at 65 points.

“These changes to the points test are an important next step in the series of reforms to the skilled migration program announced by the Government in February this year,” said Immigration Minister Chris Bowen. He added, the reforms set the foundations for a skilled migration program that will be responsive to our economic needs and continue to serve Australias interests in the medium to long term.

A review of the current points test found it had resulted in applications from people in only a small number of occupations and a growing backlog of people waiting for a skilled immigration visa. Bowen said, The existing points test has not always led to outcomes consistent with the objectives of the skilled migration program. For example, the current test puts an overseas student with a short term vocational qualification and one year’s work experience in Australia ahead of a Harvard educated environmental engineer with three years’ relevant work experience. The new points test should ensure that Australia admits the “best and brightest people” from the pool of applicants.

The new points test will only affect skilled independent immigration and not employer-sponsored immigration. Anyone lodging an application after 1 July 2011 will come under the new points test. If you meet the requirements for skilled immigration to Australia it may be best to apply now and come under the current immigration scheme. You may not qualify under the new immigration scheme from 1 July 2011.

The European Parliament passed a proposal Thursday to grant visa-free privileges to Taiwanese nationals entering the 28 European countries, following the inclusion of Taiwan in visa-waiver programs for the United Kingdom and for Ireland.

The proposal still needs to clear the Council of the European Union before it can be implemented, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said later that day. The visa-waiver program will cover the Schengen Area, which comprises the territories of 25 European countries, including 22 EU member states and three-non EU states — Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. The visa-waiver program is also applicable to three non-Schengen EU member states

Zambian Ambassador to Ethiopia Albert Muchanga has noted with concern the increasing number of Zambians being denied entry in Ethiopia due to lack of VISAs. Mr. Muchanga has since appealed to all Zambians travelling to Ethiopia to ensure that they obtain VISA documentation before departing Zambia.

He said Zambians travelling on official business to Ethiopia can submit required documents to the Zambian Embassy in Addis Ababa a week prior to departure while those on personal trips can obtain VISAs from the Ethiopian Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe. The Ambassador advised Zambians travelling to Ethiopia to strictly adhere to the Ethiopian Immigration rules to avoid being deported.

The South African embassy in Nigeria has introduced N120, 000 as caution visa fees for visa applicants travelling to South Africa for the first time or applicants that the embassy suspect will not come back.

The caution fee would be returned to visa applicant when he or she returns to Nigeria from South Africa, but the embassy holds back the money if the applicant absconds. Spokesman of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ozo Nwobu said the foreign ministry is aware of the new development, but it will be discussed at the bi-national commission joint meeting, but the status quo is reciprocal, all South African first timers to Nigerian must drop N120,000 at the Nigeria embassy in South Africa before they are issued visa.

Canadian passport holders will have to obtain visas prior to entering the UAE from January 2, 2011, the UAE Embassy in Ottawa announced on Tuesday.

The Canadian diplomatic missions in the UAE have posted the new visa regulations for Canadian nationals on their websites.

According to the website of the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, the Canadian nationals who plan to travel to the UAE for tourism and business purposes after this date should contact the UAE Embassy in their country for details. It said all diplomatic and special passport holders must also obtain their visa before traveling to the UAE.

It said that the information on entry and exit requirements has been confirmed with the authorities of the UAE. However, these requirements are subject to change at any time. It is the traveler responsibility to check with the embassy of the UAE for up-to-date information. It is the sole prerogative of each country or region to determine who is allowed to enter. All countries or regions have special requirements for persons intending to reside for extended periods (usually more than 90 days) or who plan to work, study, or engage in non-tourist activities. Violations of entry and exit requirements may result in serious penalties.

Taiwan’s latest visa-refusal rate has met the requirement of the United States for its Visa Waiver Program (VWP), but there is no timetable for Taiwan’s inclusion in the program due to various technical issues, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official said Thursday.

Taiwan’s U.S. visa refusal rate for fiscal year 2010 was 2.2 percent, much lower than the minimum requirement of 3 percent as stipulated for inclusion in the VWP and a great improvement over the 4.4 percent of 2009, said Bruce J.D. Linghu, director-general of MOFA’s Department of North American Affairs.

This was a “big step forward” to Taiwan’s eventual VWP inclusion, Linghu said, but a country’s visa-refusal rate is just one of the criteria considered when determining eligibility for VWP status.

To be admitted to the program, he said, a country must meet various requirements, such as enhanced law enforcement and security-related data-sharing with the U.S. The country is also required to maintain high counterterrorism, law enforcement, border control, and document security standards.

The U.S. expressed concern over Taiwan’s passport-application-and-issuance procedure, which does not require travelers to apply in person but is usually undertaken by travel agencies, Linghu said. William Stanton, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the U.S. representative office in the absence of official bilateral ties, said in a recent interview that Taiwan’s inclusion in the VWP “is not a political problem but a legal issue.”
Citing media reports that human trafficking rings have smuggled Chinese citizens into the United States by falsifying or tampering with Taiwanese passports, Stanton said that this problem results from Taiwanese citizens not being required to apply for passports in person.

With this in mind, a new procedure will be tested in Taiwan next year requiring visa applicants to complete passport application in person, Linghu said. The measure will later be implemented nationwide, he added. The two sides will probably need to reach agreements on a number of issues, such as anti-terrorism. Linghu said. Moreover, it will take collaboration between at least four governmental agencies to secure VWP eligibility, he noted.

Passport authorities at King Abdulaziz International Airport Haj Terminal, Saudi Arabia have turned away 61 pilgrims so far because of discrepancies in their documents and fingerprint records, a senior official said on Tuesday. The General Directorate of Passports has installed state-of-the-art equipment to detect fraudulent Haj visas at the Haj Terminal in Jeddah. The equipment can accurately detect forgeries using techniques such as ultraviolet rays, fingerprint comparisons and infrared. Any illegal additions, deletions and alterations can be detected with the help of these devices. Brig. Ayed Al-Harbi, a commander of the Passport Forces for Haj, said 61 pilgrims were not allowed entry into the country either because of discrepancies in information supplied in their travel documents or because fingerprint records showed they were blacklisted. All land, sea and air entry points to the Kingdom have been linked to the fingerprint system, so that any traveler entering the country will have to undergo fingerprint examinations, said Al-Harbi. He added that deported expatriates would not be allowed to come back as Haj pilgrims. Commander of the Passport Forces for Haj at KAIA, Col. Khalafallah Al-Tuwairaqi said the Passport Department is determined not to permit any deported expatriate with a criminal record to return to the country using a different passport. The special (passports) lounge, staffed by trained personnel of the Passport Department, will be operating round the clock during the Haj season under the supervision of the superintendent of the Anti-Forgery Unit Lt. Col. Abdul Rahman Al-Takhis, said Al-Tuwairaqi. The equipment will also alert immigration officials if there is a security warning about any of the pilgrims. The system contains passport data from a large number of countries so that any forgeries could be identified. Al-Harbi said domestic pilgrims who attempt to enter the holy sites without Haj permits would be sternly dealt with. Passports officials at 16 entry points to Makkah are watching for violators of Haj and residence regulations, he said. Any traveler without a Haj permit or any vehicle carrying pilgrims without Haj permits will be stopped at these points. Those transporting illegal pilgrims will be fined up to SR10,000 for each pilgrim and will have their vehicle confiscated, he said. He added that 1,600 violators of residence regulations were detained and 2,900 pilgrims without permits were turned back up till Monday.

The British government will create a new “entrepreneur visa” and reform its intellectual property laws to try to attract high-tech businesses.

Cameron will set out plans to transform a stretch of East London into a high-tech hub to rival Silicon Valley, starting with new investments from the likes of Internet search leader Google, computer chipmaker Intel and social networking site Facebook. “Right now, Silicon Valley is the leading place in the world for high-tech growth and innovation. But there’s no reason why it has to be so predominant,” Cameron will say in a speech, according to excerpts released in advance by his office.

The government last month announced a four-year plan of deep cuts in public spending to tackle a record budget deficit. Almost no area of government spending will be spared the axe and half a million public sector jobs are expected to be lost.

Cameron says he wants to create better conditions for the private sector to generate the jobs and growth that the public sector will no longer be able to provide. The proposed new “entrepreneur visa” would allow people with great business ideas and the backing of serious investors to set up shop more easily in Britain.

The proposal comes at a time when the government is working on plans to introduce a cap on immigration, in line with a pre-election pledge from Cameron’s Conservative party. Some in the Liberal Democrat party, the junior partner in the two-party coalition government, are uncomfortable with the cap. Business Secretary Vince Cable, a Lib Dem, has argued that it would harm business interests by keeping top talent out.

The “entrepreneur visa” could be part of Cameron’s response to those concerns.

Copyright Laws. Cameron will also say that a company like Google could never have started up in Britain because of a copyright system that is not as open to innovation as it is in the United States. So I can announce today that we are reviewing our intellectual property laws, to see if we can make them fit for the Internet age. I want to encourage the sort of creative innovation that exists in America,” he will say.

Cameron will also say that the government has had a series of meetings since it came into office in May with technology companies and venture capital investors to discuss ways to turn East London into a world-class high-tech center. These talks have led to a series of commitments from companies to invest in East London, previously a deprived residential area which is already the focus of regeneration efforts as it will host the London 2012 Olympics.

Projects will include an Intel research lab focusing on performance computing and energy efficiency, an “innovation hub” from Google where researchers, developers and academics can pool ideas, and a permanent London home for Facebook’s “Developer Garage” programme for new talent in high-tech fields.