Weekly Immigration Update: May 9, 2024

Immigration news update for all regions

Asiatic-Pacific

Australia: Voting date for permanent residence visa

The Australian Government has introduced a new permanent residence visa program, the Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV), specifically designed for nationals of the Pacific Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and East Timor. This program will offer 3,000 permanent residence permits annually to eligible individuals from the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste, as well as their immediate family members, including spouses and dependent children. The Pacific Engagement Visa falls under the category subclass 192.

Each year, a voting process will determine the allocation of these visas, and those selected will then be able to apply for permanent residency in Australia. Each country has been allocated a specific number of vias to ensure equal opportunities for all eligible applicants. The inaugural voting application process begins on June 3 and applicants must meet certain eligibility criteria. In particular, persons must be between the ages of 18 and 45, hold a valid job offer in Australia and hold a valid passport, and be born in a participating Pacific country or East Timor, or have a parent born in a Pacific country. of those nations.

In addition, applicants must demonstrate financial capacity, meet English language proficiency requirements, pass character and health checks, and complete the payment of a registration fee of AUD 25 (approximately US$16). The Ministry of Home Affairs expects that the first visa applications under this program will be assessed in early July.

This summary has been prepared using information obtained from the Australian Government (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)

Disclaimer: The above information is for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further questions about the applicability of this information, please contactRoberta Carnaccini (Global Director of Immigration) and Debra Jane Beynon (Regional Immigration Manager, APAC).

Europe, Middle East and Africa

United Kingdom: introduction of electronic visas (eVisas)

As part of its efforts to fully digitalise its immigration system, the UK is gradually phasing out the use of physical immigration documents, with electronic visas (eVisas) set to replace their current physical counterparts. By the end of 2024, physical immigration documents such as biometric residence cards, biometric residence permits, passport endorsements and physical ‘vignette’ visa stickers, which serve as proof of an individual’s immigration status, will no longer be issued.

Instead, from 2025, the immigration status of all individuals will be recorded electronically and accessible through an online account with the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) service, linked to the individual’s travel document.

The new electronic format does not affect the criteria and requirements for visas or permits. On the contrary, the exclusive use of eVisas will only change the way individuals prove their immigration status. Biometric residence cards and biometric residence permits expire on December 31, 2024. Holders of these documents, as well as those with passport endorsements and physical visa stickers, will need to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. A beta testing phase is currently underway, which will be open to most people in the UK in summer 2024. Employers should ensure that existing employees with physical immigration documents are aware of these changes and may need to carry out new Right to Work checks if the initial check was carried out manually on a time-limited consent basis.

This summary has been prepared using information obtained from the Government of Great Britain

Disclaimer: The above information is for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further questions about the applicability of this information, please contact Roberta Carnaccini (Global Director of Immigration) and Joanna Sogeke (Team Leader, EMEA).

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