Immigration updates for the APAC region
Asia-Pacific
India: International flight ban 
The Indian government has extended the international flight ban until November 30, 2021, due to an increase in Covid-19 cases. This does not apply to international all-cargo operations and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approved flights.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the Hindustan Times.
Malaysia: New application features and service fee
The Expatriate Service Division (ESD) has put in place a robust online data platform and service-driven system. This aims to process Employment Pass (EP) and Professional Visit Pass (PVP) applications within five working days. New features and services will be available for EP and PVP applications as outlined on the ESD website. Effective November 15, 2021, the ESD revised application fees will be imposed.
Impact
- The newly improved process will expedite the overall processing time and waiting time specifically for endorsement.
- The newly established ESD Satellite Centre (ESC) at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 1 (KLIA 1) gives flexibility to eligible applicants to complete the endorsement upon arrival at the airport.
- Due to the system enhancement, there will be additional costs incurred for the application fees.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the Expatriate Services Division.
New Zealand: Accredited Employer Work Visa 
The New Zealand government has announced that the previously postponed launch of the new Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) process will proceed on July 4, 2022. Employers will be able to submit applications for Employer Accreditation under the new scheme from May 9, 2022, for AEWV applications commencing July 4, 2022.
In addition, the government has stopped accepting applications for certain categories of work visas that were replaced by the AEWV on November 1, 2021. This also links to the new residence pathway update which was announced last month. Regardless of accreditation, there is no provision to apply for Work to Residence visas as of October 31, 2021.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the New Zealand Immigration.
Thailand: Entry and departure from Thailand 
The Operation Centre of Measures has outlined information on the entry into, and departure from the Kingdom, and Protection of Thai Nationals Abroad. 17 more countries have been added to the low-risk countries/ territories list, including Croatia, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Laos, Luxembourg, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, the Philippines, Romania, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Vietnam (totalling 63 countries).
Travelers who are traveling from one of the 63 low-risk countries/ territories and are fully vaccinated at least 14-days before the travel date can enter Thailand without quarantine under the Exemption from Quarantine scheme as we notified previously.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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 Jane Beynon, Regional Immigration Manager (APAC).
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