Author Archives: ABIL

NETHERLANDS: New Work Permit Exemptions

The government is introducing additional work permit exemptions on January 1, 2014. Currently, foreign staff attending an in-house company training in the Netherlands are not exempted from the work permit requirement. This will change for multinational organizations transferring employees to their Dutch establishments for certain training purposes. The maximum period for this work permit exemption […]

AUSTRALIA: Australian Government Revised Labor Market Testing Requirements in the 457 Visa Program

In June 2013, the previous government of Australia decided to undo decades of progressive reform and introduce Labour Market Testing (LMT) into the 457 program. That government was defeated in September 2013 and the new government has substantially watered down the LMT regime with amendments passed on November 23. The subclass 457 visa is the […]

News from the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers Vol. 10, No. 1A • January 01, 2014

Headlines: 1. DHS OIG Report on EB-5 Regional Center Program Stirs Controversy – The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General has released a controversial new report on the EB-5 regional center program that includes four recommendations. 2. OSC Reiterates That Employers May Not Institute a Hiring Preference for U.S. Citizens Unless Required To Do So – The […]

GERMANY: Germany has Become the World’s Top Migration Spot after the United States

According to recently published OECD statistics from 2012, Germany has seen significant growth in migration and has skyrocketed to second place on the list of the world’s top migration spots after the United States: Germany became the second-largest immigration country, after the United States, in the OECD in 2012, receiving more than 10% of all […]

DOS Beefs Up Consular Services in Brazil, Plans Two New Consulates

The Department of State plans to open two new consulates in Belo Horizante and Porto Alegre, Brazil, which the White House said are important economic and cultural centers for the states of Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul. In remarks to the U.S.-Brazil Partnership for the 21st Century, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said […]

AUSTRALIA: Australian Government Revised Labour Market Testing in the 457 Program

In June 2013, the previous government of Australia decided to undo decades of progressive reform and introduce Labour Market Testing (LMT) into the 457 program. That government was defeated in September 2013 and the new government has substantially watered down the LMT regime with amendments passed on November 23. The subclass 457 visa is the […]

News from the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers Vol. 9, No. 12B • December 15, 2013

Headlines: 1. Supreme Court Hears Oral Argument in CSPA Case; USCIS Issues Policy Guidance – The memo addresses automatic conversion and priority date retention for certain children of immigrant visa petitioners. 2. Court Approves Final Settlement on Employment Authorization for Asylum Seekers – The settlement agreement provides that certain individuals who intend to file, or have already filed, an […]

News from the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers Vol. 9, No. 12A • December 01, 2013

Headlines: 1. USCIS Announces E-Verify Anti-SSN Fraud Effort – USCIS has announced an E-Verify effort to combat identity fraud by identifying and deterring fraudulent use of Social Security Numbers for employment eligibility verification. 2. Temporary Accommodation for Form I-129 H-2A Petitions Has Expired – The Office of Foreign Labor Certification has stopped sending Adobe PDF copies of approved temporary […]

PERU: New Law to Regularize Residence of Foreigners in Irregular Immigration Status

A new law establishes a procedure to regularize the residence of foreigners who are in irregular immigration status. On November 8, 2013, Law No. 30103 was published in the Official Gazette of Peru. The new law establishes a procedure to regularize the immigration status of foreign nationals who entered Peruvian territory before January 1, 2012. […]

INDIA: Proposed Amendments to

One chamber of the Indian Parliament has proposed amendments to “Overseas Citizen of India” status. If passed into law, among other things, “Overseas Citizen of India” status will be known as “Overseas Indian Cardholder” instead. The proposed amendments are being made to the Citizenship Act, 1955 (Act), which provides for the acquisition and determination of […]