Immigration news update for all regions
Americas
United States: Changes in Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing for various employment-based categories
The U.S. State Department has published the October Visa Bulletin, showing changes in Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing for various employment-based categories. These dates determine when applicants can file for adjustment of status of an immigrant visa.
For EB-1:
- China’s Final Action Date moves forward by seven days to November 8, 2022, while the Date for Filing remains unchanged.
- India’s Final Action Date stays the same, but the Date for Filing advances by over two months to April 15, 2022.
- All other countries, including Mexico and the Philippines, see no changes.
For EB-2:
- China’s Final Action Date advances by 21 days to March 22, 2020, and the Date for Filing moves forward by four months to October 1, 2020.
- India’s Final Action Date remains unchanged, but the Date for Filing advances by over five months to January 1, 2013.
- All other countries, including Mexico and the Philippines, see no changes in Final Action Dates, but the Dates for Filing advance by over four months to August 1, 2023.
For EB-3:
- China’s Final Action Date retrogresses by five months to April 1, 2020, and the Date for Filing moves back by nearly eight months to November 15, 2020.
- India’s Final Action Date advances by 10 days to November 1, 2012, and the Date for Filing moves forward by over seven months to June 8, 2013.
- All other countries, including Mexico and the Philippines, see their Final Action Dates progress by two years to November 15, 2022, and the Date for Filing advances by one month to March 1, 2023.
This summary was prepared using information from the U.S. Department of State
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).
Asia-Pacific
New Zealand: Stricter oversight on employment contract compliance
Immigration New Zealand has issued a checklist detailing the necessary components for employment contracts in Job Check applications under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme. Although these requirements were already part of existing legislation, the government is now strictly enforcing them to reduce the number of Requests for Further Information, which are issued when submitted contracts lack essential clauses or provisions, leading to delays in application processing.
To avoid complications with Job Check or AEWV applications, employers must comply with these employment agreement requirements. The government’s initiative to reinforce these standards aims to protect the employment rights of foreign workers, minimize misuse, and address genuine skill shortages effectively.
This summary was prepared using information from the New Zealand Immigration
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 Beynon (Regional Immigration Manager, APAC).
Europe, Middle East and Africa
United Kingdom: New countries added to the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme
The list of countries, nationals of which will need to apply for ETA before traveling to the UK is expanding.
The ETA costs £10 and is valid for 2 years or until the passport expires.
ETA is needed in the following circumstances:
- Travelling to the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business, or short-term study
- Travelling to the UK for up to 3 months on the Creative Worker visa concession
- Travelling to the UK for a permitted paid engagement
- Transiting through the UK – including if you’re not going through UK border control.
New countries and timelines:
- Further non – European nationals will be able to apply for ETA from November 27, 2024, and they will need it to travel to the UK from January 8, 2025.
- European nationals will be able to apply for ETA from March 5, 2025, and they will need it to travel to the UK from April 2, 2025.
List of all affected countries can be found using  this link:
Check when you can get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
This summary was prepared using information 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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