Weekly Immigration Update: November 12–18, 2021

Switzerland/Australia: Australian Nationals Visa Exempt Effective January 1, 2022 – Australian nationals will not need a visa to travel to Switzerland starting January 1, 2022. Australian nationals who plan to stay in Switzerland for more than three months, and those who intend to work in the country, must obtain a residence permit from the competent authority in their intended place of residence or work before entry. Those who intend to work will need to apply for work authorization. Additionally, Swiss nationals will have access to the Australian Work and Holiday program effective on the same date, which will allow individuals age 18 to 30 to work in the country while holidaying for a period of 12 months.

Ireland: Original Passports No longer Required in Naturalization Applications Effective January 1, 2022 – Original passports will no longer need to be submitted with naturalisation applications starting January 1, 2022. Instead, a certified copy witnessed by an Irish solicitor will be accepted. The government also announced that there will be a new 'scorecard approach' to provide evidence of residency, the details of which have not been announced. Until then, individuals must send their original passports, which means foreign nationals could be without their passport for a considerable period, and could prevent travel and re-entry. With the new rule, foreign nationals applying for citizenship will have more certainty regarding their ability to travel and when they will have their passport. While details are still unavailable, it is expected that the new 'scorecard' approach to evidence residency will help streamline and clarify the naturalisation application process.

Switzerland: Croatian Nationals to Benefit from Relaxed Immigration Requirements – Effective January 1, 2022, nationals of Croatia seeking to work and stay in Switzerland will be subject to the general rules applicable to other EU/European Economic Area (EEA) nationals. This will result in a relaxation of immigration requirements for nationals of Croatia. Currently, locally hired nationals of Croatia are subject to a separate annual quota limitation of 2,000 short-term L Permits and 250 long-term B permits, which are released on a quarterly basis. The B permit quota is generally exhausted within a few days of release. By comparison, EU and European Economic Area (EEA) nationals on assignment are subject to a quarterly quota of 3,000 short-term L permits and 500 long-term B permits--typically exhausted within six to seven weeks of each release. Additionally, companies hiring nationals of Croatia are subject to stricter labor market testing than when hiring EU/EEA nationals. These higher restrictions will change on January 1, 2022. According to the Federal Council, from January 1, 2023 until the end of 2026, the Swiss government reserves the right to reinstitute limits on the number of permits available for nationals of Croatia if the number of Croatian workers exceeds certain thresholds.

United Arab Emirates: Retirement Visa Eligibility Financial Thresholds Reduced – The Cabinet of the United Arab Emirates announced that it will lower the financial thresholds required for retirees to obtain residence visas. Foreign nationals using property value to fulfil the eligibility requirements will only be required to own property(ies) in the United Arab Emirates worth at least AED one million; currently, the requirement is AED two million. Foreign nationals using active income will only be required to have an active income of at least AED 180,000 per year (AED 15,000 per month); currently, they are required to have an active income of at least AED 20,000 per month. However, foreign nationals using the financial savings route will still be required to have at least AED one million in savings. It is not yet clear if any other eligibility criteria or visa terms will change. More information will be available once the applicable legislation is published.

United Arab Emirates: New Federal Employment Law Forthcoming – The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization announced that a new federal employment law for the private sector will take effect on February 2, 2022, replacing existing regulations from 1980. The law will apply to all establishments and workers in the private sector, excluding the Abu Dhabi Global Market and Dubai International Financial Center Free Zones, which follow their own employment laws. The law will introduce new forms of employment, including flexible and self-employment, and will implement a single type of employment contract for a limited term--currently, employment contracts are also issued for unlimited terms. The new law will also amend existing provisions related to leave ,including compassionate and study leaves, employment of minors, probationary periods, working hours and compensation for overtime. The law also introduces enhanced protection against sexual harassment, bullying and the use of verbal, physical or psychological violence, while prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, nationality or disability. The new law is expected to have a significant impact on the UAE immigration process. Additional analysis will be forthcoming once the full version of the law, including its executive regulations, are published.