Immigration news update for Americas and APAC regions
Americas
Canada: Recognized Employer Pilot
The Canadian government has announced it will launch the Recognized Employer Pilot (REP) in September. This program will help to reduce the administrative process and simplify the hiring process of foreign workers through Labour Market Impact Assessments. REP will have two phases:
in the first stage starting in September 2023 the employers in the agriculture sector will be able to apply in time for the 2024 season; the second stage begins in January 2024 and opens intake to all other industry sectors.
The assessment of a REP application will be based on the employer’s history of compliance with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and how often they use the Program to fill in-demand occupations.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the Canada.ca
United States: Changes to Labor Condition Application
The Department of Labor has announced the end of a grace period of 30 days which was instituted during the COVID-19 National Emergency. This affects the employers who have to comply with the so-called Labor Condition Application (LCA) – it specifies the job details, including job title, salary, location, and other conditions. Effective August 24, 2023, the amendments and mandatory postings required by worksite changes for H-1B or E-3 workers must be in place prior to a worksite change. This applies for employees working from home as well.
Since the LCA contains specific information regarding foreign workers, any changes to the terms of employment must be filed through the amendment of LCA.
In case of non-compliance with LCA requirements, the consequences can result in penalties, bars on sponsoring non-immigrant or immigrant petitions, and other sanctions for the employer.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from our local supplier
Disclaimer: The above information is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further inquiries regarding the applicability of this information, please contact Rafael Pavanelli (Regional Immigration Manager, Americas) or Roberta Carnaccini (Global Operations Manager, Immigration).
Asia-Pacific
Vietnam: E-Visa for all nationalities
As of August 15, 2023, the Vietnamese government implemented changes to its e-visa program, which will be now available for all nationalities. The visa will grant three months multiple entry instead of single entry of up to 30 days.
Furthermore, citizens of selected countries (Belarus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom) will be exempt from visa requirements for 45 days instead of 15 days.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from MyVietnamVisa
Disclaimer: The above information is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further inquiries regarding the applicability of this information, please contact Debra Beynon (Regional Immigration Manager, APAC).
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