Immigration newsletter 21 May 2014

Do you have a professional level contract in the UK paying at least £180 per day? If so, we can help you find a sponsor and obtain a UK Tier 2 (General) skilled worker visa. It is easier to switch if you already have a Tier 1 PSW visa or Tier 4 student visa or Tier 2 Visa. The UK Tier 1 Entrepreneur scheme may also be an option. Why not contact the London office for further details.

UK Immigration Solicitor needed - Call the UK office on 0344 991 9222

Cameron: UK can hit 'tens of thousands' immigration target

Prime Minister David Cameron insists the UK can meet his immigration reduction target by May 2015. In 2010, Mr Cameron pledged to reduce immigration from 250,000 to below 100,000 a year.

The government has made numerous changes to the immigration system to try to reduce the total. By September 2013, the immigration figure had fallen to about 150,000. However, since then, the figure has been rising.

Mr Cameron has blamed the rise on immigration from the EU, which cannot be controlled because EU citizens are allowed to work in the UK.

Australian immigration boom may have peaked

Australian immigration may have peaked, according to the latest government figures. Net immigration in the year to March was 380,910; slightly down from the January 2013 figure of 411,000.

Despite the fall, the Australian government remains committed to attracting at least 250,000 immigrants per year in the near to mid-term. The Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection says that it expects net overseas migration to continue to account for 40% of Australian population growth in the years ahead.

Modi 'will be issued US A-1 visa' after Indian election victory

The US says it will now issue a visa to new prime minister Narendra Modi after his landslide victory in the Indian general election.

Mr Modi has been denied a US visa since 2005 because of allegations that he was responsible, in part at least, for the deaths of more than 1,000 Muslims in Gujarat in 2002 when he was chief minister.

Widespread rioting over several weeks led to the deaths after Muslims were blamed for the deaths of 60 Hindu pilgrims. Mr Modi was exonerated of any blame by an Indian Supreme Court inquiry in 2012. There are however many who disagree with the Supreme Court ruling on this.

Dyson slams 'sheer madness' of UK's immigration laws

Sir James Dyson, a leading entrepreneur, has said that the UK should issue more visas to foreign engineers. Sir James, who founded the Dyson appliance company, said that it was 'sheer madness' for the UK to train foreign engineers at its universities and then not allow them to stay and work.

Refusing to allow them visas, he said, would result in foreign engineering graduates working in other countries where they would help overseas competitors.

Sir James founded his Dyson manufacturing company in 1993. He is said to be worth in excess of £3bn.

Prominent Tea Party activist calls for US immigration reform

A prominent activist in the US Tea Party movement has called on the US Congress to legislate to increase employment-based immigration.

Sal Russo of Tea Party Express said ‘we face a shortage of more than 235,000 jobs in the science, technology, engineering and math fields by 2018'. He added 'Doing nothing means hurting businesses'.

The Tea Party is a right-wing, movement opposed to 'big government'. Polling shows that most of its members also oppose mass immigration.

Australian immigration minister launches combined Border Force

The Australian immigration minister Scott Morrison has announced the creation of a new Australian Border Force. The force will be made up of customs and immigration staff. It will be led by a commissioner who will report directly to the immigration minister.

Mr Morrison said that the new force will be 'technology-enabled' and its operations will be intelligence-led. The force’s primary duty will be to stop boats bringing asylum seekers from Indonesia to Australia.

In 2013, thousands of people from all over Asia paid up to $10,000 to make the trip.