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Immigration news

Residents of Vladivostok and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk will be offered a series of seminars in late June by Paul Whelan, the Minister Counselor and Immigration Program Manager for the Canadian Embassy in Russia.

Whelan's visit to the Russian Far East will last from 24 to 29 June. Russians who attend his seminars will learn about topics such as temporary employment as well as Canada's skilled immigration program for professionals.

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On 18 June 2007, the Home Office released 'Managing Global Migration', a report outlining the United Kingdom's plans to manage migration to the country in the future. The plan includes strengthening borders, enforcing immigration laws, and fast tracking asylum decisions. The government also plans to boost the UK economy by attracting highly skilled migrants and making the country easy to visit legally.

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As of 10 April 2007, Ireland has implemented a scheme to allow legally resident third level graduates from outside the European Union/European Economic Area (EEA) to stay in Ireland for an additional six months after obtaining their degree. The intention of the scheme is to allow fresh graduates to seek employment in Ireland with their newly acquired knowledge.

The United States State Department slammed Australia's 457 visa scheme, saying it was possible to be linked to illegal labor trafficking.

The 457 visa scheme is an Australian immigration program that allows employers to bring in workers from overseas for a temporary amount of time if they cannot find workers locally.

<$adv0>The State Department praised Australia's policies on human trafficking but expressed concern over the treatment of temporary workers brought in from India, South Korea, and China.

An enterprise advocacy group, Business NZ, praised recent changes to New Zealand's immigration rules.

"Many firms have been crying out for skilled staff but have been obstructed by Skilled Migrant Category rules. With more points now available for skills, we hope to see some easing of the skills crisis," said Nicholas Green, a productivity specialist for Business NZ.

<$adv0>"Competition for talent is fierce, and it's in New Zealand's interests to stay ahead of the international game," he added.

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The German parliament has passed some reforms to the country's immigration laws, implementing 11 European Union guidelines affecting rules related to spousal immigration, integration, and residency regulations.