NEWSLETTER No. 13 - March 2008

UNITED KINGDOM – NEW MAINTENANCE FUNDS REQUIREMENT

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR UK EMPLOYERS

The UK government have announced details of the new requirement for maintenance funds for applicants under the new Points Based System. 

The new system is currently in place for applicants who are applying from within the UK. Over the next 6 months or so, the system will replace the HSMP visa process for applicants applying from outside the UK. 

For applicants currently in the UK, the required amount is UK£800.

For applicants applying from outside the UK, the proposed required amounts are;

Principal applicant UK£2,800
Spouse UK£1,600 
Each child UK£800

The accepted evidence of such funds will be the applicant’s last 3 months bank statements, showing a constant balance at or above the required level.

We are still awaiting exact details of the new application system and maintenance funds required for Out of Country applicants. Once we have this, we will be detailing the process for you on our website and explaining exactly what it involves. 

In the meantime, if you are outside the UK and are eligible to apply for the HSMP visa now, it may be advisable to do so, to avoid having to meet the new maintenance rules. 

Also if you are a UK employer, looking to take on overseas workers on work permits, then you need to be aware of the process to do so under the Points Based System. This involves a pre-registration application to be included on the new “Register of Sponsors”.

The UK government will implement the new regime for work permits in September/October this year. Only employers who are registered, as approved Sponsors will be permitted to apply for work permits. If you are a UK employer that requires further information on the new process as it becomes available, then please contact us.

* Click for United Kingdom info page with the latest migration news


Previous Newsletters on migration issues:
  Newsletter 1 - January 2007
  Newsletter 2 - March 2007
  Newsletter 3 - April 2007
  Newsletter 4 - May 2007
  Newsletter 5 - May 2007 - In Focus: Australia
  Newsletter 6 - June 2007
  Newsletter 7 - July 2007
  Newsletter 8 - August 2007
  Newsletter 9 - October 2007
  Newsletter 10 - November 2007
  Newsletter 11 - December 2007
  Newsletter 12 - February 2007

Contact us

Commonwealth Immigration Consultants Ltd.
59 Cambridge Gardens
London, N10 2LN
United Kingdom
Tel. +44 (0)20 8365 3380
Email: info@commonwealthimmigration.com 

CANADA – SKILLED WORKERS 
CHANGES TO THE SYSTEM

On March 14, 2008, the Canadian introduced legislative amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in an attempt to modernize the immigration system, to ensure that skilled workers arrive sooner. 

Although the Act has not yet been passed by Parliament, if it becomes law then it will radically change the way Canada can select immigrants. The proposed measures will allow Immigration to select among the new applications and choose those that best meet Canada’s labour market needs. 

Under the current system, applications are processed in chronological order. The new proposals will allow Immigration to process certain application faster (such as those whose occupations are in most demand) and not to process applications from those whose skills are not in current demand. Critics have deemed it a “cherrypicking process”.

The stated aim is to ensure that Canada can continue to attract skilled workers in a timely manner similar to other countries such as the UK and Australia. The long processing time for many applications is seen as a hindrance to the immediate needs of the Canadian economy.

The new rules will not affect any applications submitted before February 27th 2008. We will keep you informed on the new proposals, if passed by Parliament, and explain how the new system will operate. 

* Click for Canada info page with the latest migration news


We hope that this newsletter has been informative for you.  However, remember everyone's circumstances are different so if you or a friend or family member want to check your eligibility to emigrate then either

1) complete the Online Assessment form on our website www.commonwealthimmigration.com or
2) give us a call on (+44)  (0) 20 8365 3380

We would love to hear from you!

Regards
Tim McMahon
Commonwealth Immigration
www.commonwealthimmigration.com

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