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Immigration news

US lawmakers battle over immigration efforts
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Two US senators who will oversee their party's efforts on US immigration have called for strict law enforcement as part of any temporary-worker program. Competing senators have put forward a different plan for the country's immigration policy. Two weeks ago, Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, introduced a broad overhaul of immigration that called for a path to citizenship for illegal aliens, a 400,000-person-per-year increase in immigration and for the federal government to produce a plan to secure the border.

UK to tackle illegal immigration during EU presidency
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The drive to manage illegal immigration will be one of the UK's priorities for its six-month presidency of the European Union, the country announced 26 May.

Charles Clarke, the UK's home secretary, outlined plans to sign agreements with Russia, Ukraine, Morocco and China to take back migrants who have entered the EU illegally. He said that in exchange for taking back migrants, the countries could look forward to "strong and stable" relations with the EU.

The European Commission has already completed readmission negotiations with Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Macao and Albania.

176,000 workers from new EU member states work in UK
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About 176,000 workers from the new EU member states have entered the UK to work since the EU expanded last May. This was 20 times more than expected; still, the UK's Immigration Minister Tony McNulty said there was little evidence that the new workers had a widespread impact on jobs or wages.

So-called Accession Eight (A8) migrants gain access to the UK's workforce via the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS). Malta and Cyprus also joined the EU last year but they are not regarded as A8 states.

University rep speaks out against UK visa fee changes
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The visa fee changes coming into effect from July in the UK are driving away international students and ruining the reputation of UK universities, said the vice-chancellor of the UK's Sheffield University and chairman of Universities UK's international strategy group, Robert Boucher.

New immigration measures in the US constitutionality questioned
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A federal appeals court in the US state of Virginia has set the stage for a hearing to review the constitutionality of tough new immigration measures in the REAL ID Act. The REAL ID Act would make the nation's drivers' licenses the same from state to state, and deny drivers' licenses to illegal immigrants.The case centers on new rules in the act that limit the right of appeal for people ordered deported. The law's supporters say the rules will stop abuse of the immigration system, including by terrorists. Critics charge its provisions are too strict.
Many of Australia's brightest consider using E-3 US visa
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Many of Australia's best and brightest workers are considering a move to the US after the introduction of 10,500 US visas for skilled Australian workers.Headhunters from major American companies are also expected to seek out Australia's top university students, inviting them as soon as they finish their studies.

As part of the Free Trade Agreement, Australian professionals will soon have access to 10,500 E3 work visas each year, a huge rise on the 900 standard visas secured by Australians last year in the global green card lottery.