Graduates from the world’s top universities, including Harvard and Yale, will be eligible for visas to work in Britain under a new post-Brexit immigration drive to “put ability and talent first”. On Monday, the Government will launch its “high potential individual” route to attract the “brightest and best” graduates from the world’s most prestigious overseas universities to come and work in the UK at the beginning of their careers. Successful applicants with a bachelor’s or master’s degree, regardless of which country they were born in, will get a two-year work visa and will be permitted to bring their families. Those who hold PhDs can apply to stay for three years. The graduates can then switch to other long-term employment visas. It is part of the Government’s new post-Brexit points-based immigration regime designed to attract skilled and talented workers from throughout the world after ending the freedom of movement for EU nationals. Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, said that the “exciting” new route was part of the Government’s ambition to “put ability and talent first, not where someone comes from”.
Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, said it would enable the UK to grow as an international hub for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. “We want the businesses of tomorrow to be built here today, which is why I call on students to take advantage of this incredible opportunity to forge their careers here,” he added. The new scheme will also be seen as part of an attempt by Boris Johnson to put partygate behind him by launching a series of policy initiatives to show off the benefits of Brexit. On Sunday, the Prime Minister paved the way for the return of pounds and ounces in British shops with a plan to repeal EU-derived law requiring metric units to be used for all trade, with only limited exceptions. Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their immediate families for Canadian immigration. As the sponsor, you need to meet certain eligibility criteria. For instance, you must be at least 18 years old; have Canadian citizenship, permanent residency, or Indian status (under the Indian Act); prove that you are not receiving social assistance; and be able to financially support your family. There are a couple other more specific criteria as well. If you are a citizen applying to sponsor your family from outside Canada, you must demonstrate that you intend to return once Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) makes a decision on your file. Permanent residents must sponsor their spouses from inside Canada. There are also a number of circumstances that could make you ineligible for sponsorship, such as not being discharged for bankruptcy.
As for who you can sponsor under this particular program, Canada recognizes three different types of partners: spouses, common-law partners, and conjugal partners. You can also sponsor your dependent children. Spouses need to be married to their sponsor by an in-person ceremony. Virtual marriages are not recognized for the purposes of immigration. Common-law partners need to demonstrate that they have lived together for at least 12 months. Conjugal partners are living outside Canada and have been in a relationship for at least one year. They need to demonstrate that there are legal or social barriers preventing them from getting married or living together. You cannot sponsor a conjugal partner who is living in Canada. In all cases, your partner must be over the age of 18. IRCC will check that your partner is admissible by running medical and background security checks. People with criminal convictions are oftentimes not allowed to come to Canada, but there may be options to overcome criminal inadmissibility. The immigration officer handling your file will also want to see that you and your partner are in a genuine relationship. They want to admit people who are coming to Canada for family reunification, and not people who are just getting married for the sole purpose of Canadian immigration. After the Senate returns to Washington, D.C., from its April recess, a bipartisan group of senators wants to start formally convening meetings to try to restart immigration reform efforts.
After Democrats' attempts to go it alone as part of a sweeping bill failed last year, a bipartisan immigration deal appears to be their best hope of making good on their pledge to reform immigration. They would face a significant uphill battle in reaching such a reform agreement ahead of the November election, where Republicans intend to use the issue as a key line of attack. However, Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) told The Hill that they intend to convene a group of senators interested in reviving immigration discussions — a perennial policy white whale for Congress — after a two-week recess. "Yes... we want to sit down at a table and invite members who have immigration, bipartisan immigration bills, to come and propose those bills to us, and see if we can build a 60-vote plus margin for a group of bills." When asked about holding meetings after the recess, Durbin said, "It may not be possible, but I believe it is." When asked about the talks, Tillis told The Hill that after the recess he wanted to "start some working groups leading up to whenever we get back."
Canada’s treatment of Ukrainians fleeing war has been distinctly different to those fleeing other humanitarian crises, the House of Commons immigration committee said Wednesday, and MPs want that to change.
The committee voted Tuesday to issue a public statement, urging the government to provide the same special immigration measures it extended to Ukrainians to refugees from other regions. The statement reads that “time is of the essence,” and said the committee calls on the immigration minister to ensure Canada’s response to humanitarian crises in other regions “are treated with the same vigor as Ukraine.” Canada has expedited immigration applications from Ukraine and created an extraordinary program to allow Ukrainian citizens and their families to come to Canada and work or study for three years while they decide their next steps. |