Immigration news updates for APAC and EMEA regions
Asia-Pacific
Australia: Working holiday (subclass 417) visa arrangements for UK passport holders
The Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement introduces new arrangements for UK passport holders under the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program, effective from July 01, 2024.
UK citizens aged 18-35 are eligible to apply and can be granted up to three separate Working Holiday visas without specific work requirements starting from July 01, 2024.
These arrangements only apply to applicants who use a passport issued by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Dual nationals or those who previously entered or used different passports can apply for subsequent visas using their UK passport without needing to meet specified work criteria.
Working Holiday visa holders can stay up to three years in Australia, consisting of three separate visas granted for 12 months each. Applicants can lodge applications for second and third Working Holiday (subclass 417) visas in or outside Australia.
If a UK passport holder has already spent one or two years in Australia on a Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa before the new arrangements commence, they can apply for the remaining visa(s) under the new arrangements on or after July 01, 2024.
Other WHM program conditions, like the six-month work limitation per employer, remain unchanged.
This summary was prepared using information from the Australian Government
China: Visa-free entry for citizens of some countries
To further promote increased foreign investment, China has granted visa free entry for tourism and business to citizens of Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland. Â China has decided to expand the scope of visa free countries from 1 July and implement visa free policies for individuals holding ordinary passports in three countries: New Zealand, Australia, and Poland. From July 1, 2024, to December 31, 2025, individuals holding ordinary passports from the mentioned countries who wish to travel to China for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit for no more than 15 days are eligible for visa free entry. Individuals from the countries who do not meet the visa exemption requirements still need to apply for a visa to China before entering the country.
This summary was prepared using information from our local service providers.
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 Roberta Carnaccini (Global Director of Immigration) and Debra Jane Beynon (Regional Immigration Manager, APAC).
Europe, Middle East and Africa
European Union: Indian citizens are now eligible to apply for a multiple entry Schengen visa with extended validity
On April 18, 2024, the European Commission implemented specific rules for issuing multiple entry visas to Indian citizens. These rules are more advantageous than the standard Visa Code rules that were previously in place. This new ‘cascade’ visa system for Indian citizens living in India and applying for short-stay Schengen visas in India will make it easier for travellers with a proven travel history to access visas with multi-year validity, provided their passports are valid for the duration.
Under the newly implemented ‘cascade’ visa system for India, Indian citizens who have obtained and legally used two visas in the past three years can now be issued long-term, multi-entry Schengen visas valid for two years. Typically, the two-year visa will be followed by a five-year visa, provided the passport has enough remaining validity (it is a requirement that the expiration date of the passport is 3 months after the return from the Schengen State and in justified cases of emergency, the Consulate may deviate from this rule). During the validity of these visas, holders will have travel rights equivalent to those of visa-free nationals, meaning they will be able to travel freely within all the 29 Schengen countries.
This decision is part of the EU-India Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility’s efforts to strengthen relations between Indian and Europe, which aims for comprehensive cooperation on migration policy between the EU and India. Facilitating people-to-people contacts is a key aspect of this agenda due to India’s significance as a partner for the EU.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the European Union
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 Roberta Carnaccini (Global Director of Immigration).
United Kingdom: Changes to right to work checks
The UK Home Office issued an updated employer guidance on right to work (RTW) checks at the end of June 2024.
Employers now do not need to re-check an employee’s right to work if the employee holds a physical Biometric Residence Permit expiring on December 31, 2024. However, a valid initial check must have been performed, and the visa expiry date should be tracked.
Employers are also not required to conduct additional RTW checks for employees whose pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme has been automatically extended from two to five years. This applies as long as the individual remains employed.
Employers should continue the follow-up of RTW checks for asylum claimants with an Application Registration Card. Additionally, they need to verify eligible occupations for asylum claimants who have been granted the right to work.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the UK Government
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 Roberta Carnaccini (Global Director of Immigration) and Joanna Sogeke (Team Leader, EMEA).
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