Weekly Immigration Update: December 16–22, 2022

Ireland, December 22, 2022
Atypical Working Scheme Travel and Cooling-Off Period Rules Updated

• The Irish government will relax rules for the “general” category of applicants under the Atypical Working Scheme (AWS) on January 1, 2023.
• A 90-day permission under the AWS will be permitted to be spread over a six-month period, allowing the employee to travel intermittently during this period. The waiting time to commence a new AWS permission after this six-month period will also be reduced from 12 months to one month.
• This will allow flexibility for companies and workers who may be required to perform periodic services in Ireland, but who are not required for a consecutive 90-day period. The reduction in the ‘cooling off’ period between assignments will also allow for greater flexibility in travel.
• Lastly, employers intending to make applications to assign workers to Ireland in 2023 using the AWS scheme will need to ensure that the minimum salary payable exceeds EUR 30,000 since the minimum salary requirements for the scheme will no longer align with the national minimum wage

To view entire article, click here.

 

Canada, December 20, 2022
Updated List of Occupations Issued for Global Talent Stream

• The Government of Canada has updated the list of occupations eligible under its Global Talent Stream program, effective December 22, 2022.
• The list of occupations will now include civil, electrical and electronics, mining, and aerospace engineers; and electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians.
• As a result, employers can utilize the Global Talent Stream to hire foreign nationals in these professions, beginning December 22, 2022

To view entire article, click here.

 

United States, December 20, 2022
January 2023 Visa Bulletin Update – USCIS to Honor Dates for Filing for Employment-Based Categories

Next month, USCIS will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications from foreign nationals with a priority date that is earlier than the Dates for Filing listed in the State Department’s January 2023 Visa Bulletin.

To view entire article, click here.

 

Paraguay, December 20, 2022
Major Restructuring of Immigration Categories and Eligibility Requirements

• The government of Paraguay implemented a new immigration law which restructures Paraguay’s immigration categories and eligibility requirements.
• The new law replaces the Transitory Residence (Radicación Precaria) with a new Short-Term Residence (Residencia Ocasional o Espontánea) which has a shorter validity; expands benefits of the Temporary Residence category; and creates stricter eligibility for Permanent Residence, among other changes.
• The new immigration law is meant to modernize the immigration system, which has existed largely unchanged since 1996, by providing a more organized migration system

To view entire article, click here.

 

United States, December 19, 2022
January 2023 Visa Bulletin – EB-1 India and China Retrogress, Other Employment-Based Categories Hold Steady

• Next month, EB-1 India and EB-1 China will have a Final Action cutoff date of February 1, 2022, and a Date for Filing cutoff date of June 1, 2022.
• The EB-2 India Final Action date will remain at October 8, 2011. The EB-2 India Date for Filing cutoff will remain at May 1, 2012.
• The EB-3 India Professional/Skilled Worker Final Action date will remain at June 15, 2012, and the Date for Filing cutoff will remain at August 1, 2012.
• The EB-3 China Professional/Skilled Worker category will remain at August 1, 2018 for Final Action, and September 1, 2018 for the Date for Filing.

To view entire article, click here.

 

Indonesia, December 19, 2022
Employers Must Report Information of Foreign Workers by January 10, 2023

• The Indonesian government announced that employers of foreign workers must submit the required annual report on foreign nationals by January 10, 2023.
• Fragomen expects the deadline to be flexible but employers are advised to complete the annual report before the initial deadline to avoid any possible administrative penalties

To view entire article, click here.

 

United States, December 16, 2022
Congress Passes Stopgap Spending Measure, Funding Government Through December 23, While FY 2023 Budget Is Finalized 

• A stopgap spending measure passed by Congress will fund the U.S. government – including E-Verify and the Conrad 30 program – through December 23, 2022, as Congress considers federal budget legislation to fund the government for the full FY 2023. President Biden is expected to sign the stopgap measure.
• Passage of the short-term spending bill avoids a government shutdown on December 17, 2022 and provides more time for Congress to pass a FY 2023 budget.

To view entire article, click here.

 

Singapore, December 16, 2022
Temporary Increase in Work Pass Quotas for Eligible Companies

• The Singapore government is now accepting applications for temporary increases in work pass quotas under the Manpower for Strategic Economic Priorities (M-SEP) scheme.
• Companies seeking to apply under the M-SEP must participate in at least one of the economic schemes under any of the five agencies of the Singapore government and must commit to hire or provide suitable training to the same number of locals as the additional quotas that are being sought.
• Eligible companies will be given a renewable increased work pass quota of up to 5% of their existing base workforce, capped at 50 additional workers, for two years at a time.

To view entire article, click here.