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The US Senate's bipartisan plan under the "National Security Agreement" to reform the H-1B visa program intends to grant work authorization for spouses and children of visa holders waiting for a "Green Card". It also aims to tackle excessive green card backlogs. These changes hold significance for employers relying on highly skilled foreign talent and the families of individual H-1B holders themselves.
The UK’s 2024 immigration policy revisions represent a significant shift in the country’s approach to managing migration. These changes aim to reduce immigration, and also raise critical concerns about accessibility, fairness, and the broader socio-economic implications.
In a recent update that has caught the attention of international professionals and US companies alike, the United States has announced a huge increase in the fees for H-1B and L-1 visas, with many changes to take effect on April 1, 2024. This fee increase, is the first of its kind since 2016, will impact employers in particular.
The UK government has unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its legal immigration system, sparking controversy and concerns about its impact on businesses, families, and public services. Under the banner of reducing net migration, these changes prioritize tighter controls over who can work, study, and bring their loved ones to the UK.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced a significant hike in premium processing fees, set to take effect on February 26, 2024. This decision has sparked widespread concern among immigrants, advocacy groups, and the business community, criticizing the move as a barrier to essential immigration services.
As the UK continues to make changes to its Business Immigration system, one development that is helpful for employers seeking global talent is changes to the validity period of a sponsor licence. If the sponsor licence expires after 6 April 2024, the Home Office grants an automatic 10-year extension to the sponsor licence.