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Jason Kenney, Canadian Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism has confirmed that Canada will maintain its positive stance on immigration by setting a target of 240 000 to 265 000 new permanent residents for 2009.
Employers are reminded that in order to offer employment to overseas skilled workers qualifying for entry to the UK under the provisions of Tier 2 or to temporary workers entering under Tier 5 they must first register with the UK Border Agency (UKBA) and promise to inform the authorities if migrants fail to turn up or disappear.
To date, only 1,900 companies have registered with the agency out of thousands that currently employ foreign workers.
On 27 November 2008 the United Kingdom launched Tier 2 and Tier 5
Laws to prevent forced marriages and protect those who have already fallen victim have been introduced in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Under these new laws which are the first to specifically target the problem, a victim, friend or the police can apply for a Forced Marriage Protection Order, a court-issued injunction which would forbid families from actions such as taking people abroad for marriage, seizing passports or intimidating victims. It would also force family members to reveal a person's whereabouts.
Estate agents in the United States hope that the impending change of government will help to generate renewed enthusiasm for the 'Silver Card', a retirement visa, which would allow foreigners to spend their retirement in the U.S.
Whilst close neighbours such as Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, and Belize have a variety of programmes designed to encourage international pensioners to settle and buy homes there, the U.S. offers no simple path for a foreign citizen to retire to destinations such as Florida or California.
On 25 November the UK Home Office started the process of issuing compulsory identity cards to foreigners living in Britain.
In a move that signals the first significant phase of the Government's £4.7billion identity card scheme, foreign students and people applying for a visa on the basis of marrying a British citizen will be the first to receive ID cards in the UK since the 1950s.