Weekly Immigration Update: November 6–12, 2020

In immigration news this week:

• Worldwide: Jurisdictions around the world continue to adapt their coronavirus-related travel restrictions and quarantine measures, and many have implemented extension policies and other concessions. Visit Fragomen’s COVID-19 website for the latest immigration updates.
• Indonesia: The Indonesian government launched an electronic visa (e-Visa) to streamline the visa application process.
• Canada: The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced the 2021 to 2023 Immigration Levels Plan, which aims to increase immigration targets to help the Canadian economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Ireland: Employers interested in submitting comments on the Critical Skills Occupations List and the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits can email the Irish authorities by December 11.
• Saudi Arabia: A labor law that is expected to improve mobility and transparency for private sector employees is expected to go into effect on March 14, 2021.
• Brexit: Authorities in Bulgaria, Romania, Spain, and Sweden have published details on post-Brexit residence permits or residence registration options (‘Article 50 residence permits’) for current UK national residents and their non-EU national family members. Further information was added for Malta. UK national cross-border workers in the Netherlands are reminded to apply for a ‘frontier worker document’ before December 31, 2020 to safeguard their continued work rights after January 1, 2021. Check this consolidated information page for more information.  

These items and other news from Peru, and Turkey follow in this edition of the Fragomen Immigration Update.

 

Important Updates in Immigration This Week

Ireland, November 12, 2020
Call for Submissions on Occupations Lists Due December 11

• Irish authorities are inviting comment submissions on the Critical Skills Occupations List and the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits.
• Employers interested in submitting comments can do so via email by December 11, 2020. Fragomen can assist with comment drafting and submission.
• Following the review period, the government may add occupations to the Critical Skills Employment Permit and General Employment Categories, which would expand hiring options for employers and prospective employees.

 

To view entire article, click here.

 

Saudi Arabia, November 9, 2020
Reforms for Private Sector Employees to Ease Work and Travel Rules

Saudi Arabia will adopt a new initiative on March 14, 2021 to improve mobility and transparency for private sector employees in Saudi Arabia through the following reforms:

• Allowing private sector employees to change employment without consent from their current employer under certain conditions;
• Eliminating the requirement for foreign employees to obtain permission from their employer prior to international travel or their final exit from Saudi Arabia; and
• Digitizing contracts through an online government portal.

The reforms will give employees more flexibility in changing employers in Saudi Arabia, enhance the competitiveness of the local Saudi labor market and reduce the administrative burdens associated with international business trips.

To view entire article, click here.

 

Canada, November 6, 2020
Immigration Levels Plan Announced Emphasizing Economic Recovery through Immigration

The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced the 2021 to 2023 Immigration Levels Plan which aims to increase immigration targets in order to help the Canadian economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific details of the plan include:

• Increasing overall immigration admissions over the next three years, including 60% of admissions coming from the Economic Class of the permanent residence program;
• Accelerating the digitization of immigration processes;
• Granting additional points to French speaking individuals in the permanent residence process; and
• Providing additional pathways to permanent residence for asylees and refugees.

 

To view entire article, click here.

 

Indonesia, November 6, 2020
E-Visa Introduced

• The Indonesian government has launched an electronic visa (e-Visa) to streamline the visa application process.
• The new process will benefit most types of visas for Indonesia, including entry visas for work permit holders, dependent visas and business visas.
• Once granted, the e-Visa will be sent via email and a separate application from an Indonesian consular post will no longer be needed for travel.

To view entire article, click here.

 

Other Weekly News Briefs

Peru: Online Contract Registration System to be Implemented – The Ministry of Labor has announced that the online system (SIVICE - introduced in 2018) for filing initial, amended or renewed work contracts--a mandatory step in the Resident Worker Visa application process-- will become operational on November 16. Employers and foreign nationals (or an authorized third party) will be able to upload work contracts signed by both parties to the online system instead of submitting them in person (or through mail which has been the case during the COVID-19 pandemic) and immediately receive an approval from the Ministry of Labor, which is used to file the visa application. The Ministry of Labor can request additional documents at its discretion.  

Turkey: Residence Permit Processing Delays – Due to an anti-bribery operation across eight provinces in Turkey, residence permit processing may be delayed beyond the current delays associated with COVID-19 resource issues in the affected provinces. Applicants should plan for such delays and submit their Residence Permit applications very early if possible.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.