Canada Halts Parent and Grandparent PR Sponsorship Applications
2025 Will See No New PGP Applications Canada has announced a pause on new applications for parent and grandparent permanent residency sponsorships until further notice. The directive, published in the Canada Gazette, emphasizes the government’s dedication to family reunification, while prioritizing the processing of last year’s applications. Immigration Minister Marc Miller believes this approach will better align with the government’s immigration and family reunification objectives. What Is the Canada Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)? The PGP program allows Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and registered Indians to sponsor their parents or grandparents for permanent residency. This grants sponsored individuals access to Canadian healthcare and social services. Due to high demand, the program employs a lottery system where prospective sponsors submit an Interest to Sponsor form, and IRCC randomly selects individuals to invite for application. From 2020 to 2024, invitations were extended to those who had applied during the 2020 intake period. The program has not accepted new sponsors since then. Why the Pause on New Applications? The suspension of new applications for 2025 is connected to IRCC’s revised immigration targets. The department has lowered its annual permanent resident targets under the PGP for 2025. Key points include: By focusing on pending applications, IRCC aims to balance its resources and improve processing efficiency. This pause underscores the government’s effort to prioritize quality over quantity in its immigration programs. Why is IRCC pausing new PGP applications in 2025? IRCC plans to prioritize clearing the backlog of existing applications while managing the reduced immigration targets for 2025. Other immigration streams have also halted new sponsorships to assist in reducing the backlog. The government’s immigration levels plan, which forecasts an overall decrease in immigration over the next three years, aims to admit over 24,000 individuals through the parent and grandparent stream this year. The new directive specifies that a maximum of 15,000 applications made in 2024 through the family reunification program will be processed. Under the parent and grandparent program, 35,700 randomly selected people were invited to submit applications in 2024, with a goal of accepting 20,500 applications. According to the 2024 annual report to Parliament on immigration, tabled by Miller, there were over 40,000 parent and grandparent permanent residency sponsorships pending as of the end of 2023. The report also mentions that the average processing time for a sponsorship application was 24 months. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Jan. 3, 2025.
New UK Visa Regulations 2025: Increased Financial Criteria for Students and Employees
Starting January 2025, the UK government will impose stricter financial criteria for international students and skilled workers. Students will be required to show proof of increased living expenses, while skilled workers will need to meet a specified minimum income level. Planning to study or work in the United Kingdom? Be aware of upcoming changes to the financial visa requirements in 2025. The UK government has revealed that international students and skilled workers will now need to demonstrate a higher amount of financial resources to cover their living expenses. Here’s a comprehensive overview of the requirements for prospective students and skilled workers. Updated Financial Criteria for UK Student Visas Starting January 2, 2025, international students applying for UK study visas need to demonstrate greater financial reserves to cover living expenses: For a typical one-year master’s program: Applicants must maintain the required funds in their account for at least 28 consecutive days before submitting their visa application. Current Requirement Comparison: Exemptions These updated rules do not apply to: Students already residing in the UK. Revised Rules for Skilled Worker Visas First-time applicants for a skilled worker visa must now adhere to new financial criteria: Increased UK Visa Fees UK visa application fees for 2025 have been revised to reflect inflation and enhanced services. These adjustments impact student, tourist, work, and family visas, as well as premium processing options. Below is a detailed overview: For premium services, priority visas cost $550, while super-priority visas are $1,050. Exemptions: Fee waivers will remain available for applicants with disabilities, careers, and professionals in certain sectors, including healthcare, the armed forces, and talent-based roles. Understanding the 28-Day Rule A key new regulation is the ’28-day rule,’ which mandates that applicants maintain the required funds in their bank account for at least 28 consecutive days without dropping below the specified amount. Under the updated regulations: Tips for Prospective Applicants Begin financial planning early to ensure you have sufficient reserves before your application date. Keep an eye on exchange rates, as currency fluctuations may affect the required funds. Verify that all bank statements comply with the 28-day rule. Conclusion Given these upcoming changes, future students and workers targeting the UK should start their financial planning immediately. Early preparation can facilitate a smoother visa application process and increase the likelihood of success.
Australia introduces new regulations for international students in 2024
Australia prohibits switching between temporary visas that don’t result in permanent residency. Australia has replaced the Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement with a new Genuine Student requirement Australia continues to be a sought-after study destination with a notable increase in student enrolment in recent years. To manage this growth, the Australian government proposed a student cap, leading to the establishment of National Planning Level (NPL) student caps for 2025, though this system is not yet confirmed. Australia offers temporary stay and work opportunities, and for some graduates, pathways to permanent residency based on needed skills and qualifications. This helps you plan your future better, whether in Australia or elsewhere. To insure fairness in the immigration system, Australia will put restrictions on’ visa hopping’ between different temporary visas that don’t lead to endless occupancy. This measure is aimed at maintaining the integrity of the visa system and icing that the openings for endless occupancy are saved for those who meet the criteria. On March 23, 2024, the Genuine Temporary Entrant( GTE) demand was replaced with a new Genuine Pupil( GS) demand. This new GS demand involves a set of targeted questions within the pupil visa operation that aspirants must answer. These questions are designed to help the Department of Home Affairs assess whether the aspirant is a genuine pupil who intends to study in Australia and not someone seeking to exploit the visa system. This change is anticipated to ameliorate the operation process and insure that genuine transnational scholars profit from a safe and probative study experience in Australia. Also, on the same date, the English language conditions for Student and Temporary Graduate visas were streamlined. The new English language conditions are intended to more support the literacy and employment issues for transnational scholars. This update ensures that scholars have the necessary language chops to succeed in their studies and unborn employment, whether they choose to remain in Australia or return to their home country. These changes punctuate Australia’s commitment to maintaining high norms for its transnational education sector and icing that scholars who come to Australia have a positive and enriching experience. The minimum IELTS test score for obtaining a Student visa has increased from 5.5 to 6.0 (or its equivalent). For students enrolled in an English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) before their main course of study, the minimum score has risen from 4.5 to 5.0 (or its equivalent). Those undertaking university foundation or pathway programs with reputable English language training must now achieve a minimum IELTS score of 5.5 (or its equivalent). For a Temporary Graduate visa, the required IELTS score has increased from 6.0 to 6.5 (or its equivalent), with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, speaking, and listening). Changes are also being made to the length of post-study work visas. Despite these adjustments, Australia’s Temporary Graduate visa will still provide an opportunity for graduates to gain valuable work experience and showcase their skills to Australian employers.
New Zealand broadens eligibility for post-study work visas for international students
The New Zealand Post Study Work Visa allows graduates to remain and work in the country for up to three years. New Zealand has updated the qualifications list for Post Study Work Visas to match the Green List. The New Zealand Post Study Work Visa allows graduates to stay and work for up to three years, depending on their qualifications. The New Zealand government has updated the Post Study Work Visa (PSWV) rules to ensure that students who complete a Master’s degree after a Postgraduate Diploma do not lose their eligibility for a PSWV. Students who completed a 30-week Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) and immediately progressed to a Master’s degree, but were not enrolled in the Master’s for 30 weeks, are now eligible to apply for a PSWV based on their PGDip enrolment. To qualify for a PSWV, applicants must hold an eligible New Zealand qualification studied full-time for the required duration and apply within the specified timeframe. If a student completes an eligible qualification for a PSWV and then immediately pursues a higher-level qualification (that is ineligible for a PSWV due to not meeting the minimum study duration), they will have 12 months from the end date of their student visa for the initial qualification to apply for a PSWV. This change allows students greater flexibility in their academic pursuits while maintaining their eligibility to work after completing their qualifications. To obtain a 3-year Post Study Work Visa, a student must complete at least 30 weeks of full-time study in New Zealand, specifically enrolled in the Master’s degree program. Modifications to the qualifications list for Post Study Work Visa eligibility The qualifications list for Post Study Work Visas (PSWV) is being updated to match the Green List:
US releases new form for H-1B filing for foreign workers
Starting January 17, 2025, the USCIS will reject any petitions submitted using the previous version of the form If you are planning to work in the United States under the H-1B visa program in 2025, you must comply with revised filing requirements. H-1B petitions are submitted using Form I-129, with the updated version set to take effect on January 17, 2025. The US released a revised edition of Form I-129, the petition for a non-immigrant worker, in alignment with the newly announced H-1B and H-2 modernization final rules. The H-1B non-immigrant visa category enables US organizations to temporarily hire foreign professionals for roles classified as “specialty occupations”. These positions typically require a bachelor’s degree or higher (or an equivalent qualification) in a specific field. The visa is widely used for careers in technology, software development, engineering, healthcare, education, academia, and business and financial services. The updated version of Form I-129 will replace the form issued on April 1, 2024, with no grace period provided to ensure the implementation of the final rules. Starting January 17, 2025, the USCIS will reject any petitions submitted using the previous version of the form. The revised Form I-129 applies to petitions for various non-immigrant worker categories, including: H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, H-3: Temporary workers and trainees. L-1: Intracompany transferees. O-1, O-2: Individuals with extraordinary abilities and their assistants. P categories: Artists, athletes, and entertainers. Q-1, R-1: Cultural exchange visitors and religious workers. Additionally, petitioners can use this form to request status extensions or changes for E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B1, and TN classifications. Candidates filing the I-129 form on paper by mail must note that: USCIS will accept the April 2024 version received before January 17, 2025. USCIS will reject the I-129 form if the candidate uses the old version on or after January 17, 2025. Candidates must use the updated version of the I-129 only after January 17, 2025. The H-1B electronic registration prospective petitioners must electronically register and pay a fee for each prospective beneficiary. The registration period lasts at least 14 days, after which USCIS conducts a selection process to identify eligible beneficiaries. Only those selected can proceed with filing H-1B cap-subject petitions.