Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were alleged to have forced their entries into eight homes in New York’s Long Island where Latino families were residing. The Latino immigrants claimed that the raids were conducted without any legal justification in 2006 and 2007.

Adriana Aguilar, the lead plaintiff in the class-action suite, claimed that ICE agents raided the house in the middle of night and entered the home even after they were denied entry.  Undocumented immigrants have the basic right to be protected from unreasonable search and seizure just like the US citizens.

ICE agents will be required to obtain permission to enter a home in a language the residents can understand when agents are conducting raids without warrants under the new guidelines.

As part of the settlement agreement, US government have agreed to either drop or not to pursue the immigration proceedings in a number of cases which were related to the raids.  The government also agreed to pay one million in compensation.

ICE will also be drafting other guidelines for warrant less search procedures.

The post US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Must Establish New Policy For Raids appeared first on News.Visato.com.

Young University graduate from Australia and Uruguay can now visit each other’s country to strengthen the people to people relationship between the two nations as they will be allowed to work and stay for 12 months.

Uruguay is the latest addition to the league of countries to have a reciprocal work and holiday visa arrangement with Australia. The other countries that have the work and holiday visa agreements with Australia are Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Turkey and the United States.

The annual limit for work and holiday visas for the young nationals of both the countries have been set at 200 each year.

The Australian immigration department has clarified that work and holiday visa (subclass 462) is different from the working holiday visa program (subclass 417). The applicants must have support from their government to participate in the program and meet other program requirements such as fluency in English and education.

Australian Immigration Minister and the Uruguay Ambassador to Australia had signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the work and holiday visa at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia in November last year.

The post Australia-Uruguay Work and Holiday Visa Program has Started appeared first on News.Visato.com.

Immigration Minister Kenney said, “Canada is open for business to the world’s start-up entrepreneurs.”

“Innovation and entrepreneurship are essential drivers of the Canadian economy”, said Mr. Kenney, “That is why we are actively recruiting foreign entrepreneurs – those who can build companies here in Canada that will create new jobs, spur economic growth and compete on a global scale – with our new start-up visa.”

The Start-Up Visa Program will provide foreign entrepreneurs Canadian permanent residency as well as the access to business partners in Canada to remain competitive in the world economy.

The foreign entrepreneur must first secure secure a minimum investment of $200,000 from a designated Canadian venture capital fund or an investment of $75,000 from a designated Canadian angel investor group. The applicants must also have language proficiency skills at a Canadian Language Benchmark 5 in listening, speaking, reading and writing, and have at least one year of education at a post-secondary institution.

Canadian Immigration Minister said, “With our new start-up visa, we are opening the door to new and exciting opportunities for Canada’s economy to grow and prosper.”

“This is part of our government’s transformational changes to Canada’s immigration system that will make it fast, flexible, and focused on Canada’s economic needs,” added the Minister.

The Start-Up Visa Program is a pilot program that will run for five years.

The post Canada Opens Door to New Start-Up Visa for Entrepreneurs appeared first on News.Visato.com.

Jason Kenney, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister has said that Canadian government has issued fifteen thousands Super Visas as commitment to family reunification during the last 14 months.

“The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa provides families with flexibility,” said the Minister, “and it is clearly growing in popularity.”

Mr. Kenney further added, “Our government is committed to family reunification. I am pleased to see that more and more parents and grandparents are getting the opportunity to spend longer periods of time with their loved ones in Canada.”

The approval rates for the applications for granting the Super Visas to parents and grandparents is as high as 86 per cent and over one thousands applications are being approved every month.

Canada put an halt on receiving new applications for parent and grandparent sponsorship for Canadian permanent residence in December 2011 for a period of two years.  The immigration minister announced the new super visa for those parents and grandparents whose sponsoring children meet a minimum income requirements. The sponsored parent and grandparent must also purchase comprehensive Canadian medical insurance as well as clear the immigration medical examination.

The super visa allows the parents and grandparents to enter Canada multiple times for a maximum period of 24 months during one visit. The maximum validity of the super visa is up to 10 years.

It is expected that Canada will extend the super visa program after the initial period of two years as it provides opportunity to the parents and grandparents to visit their loved ones in Canada without having to wait for years.  The current waiting period of the sponsorship applications in process is over 8 years.

The post Over 15000 Parent and Grandparent Super Visas Issued by Canada appeared first on News.Visato.com.

Brendan O’Connor has said in a press release on March 12, 2013 that Prime Minister Gillard’s government is committed to cut the red tape by simplifying the visit visa process as well introducing a new short stay activity visa making it easier for the foreign nationals who intend to come to Australia to perform specialized work task for short term.

“The Gillard Government is determined to cut red tape,” said the Immigration Minister, “And make it easier for visitors to understand which visa they need for a short stay visit or work visa.”

The new short stay activity visa enables people to come to Australia to carry out short-term, non-ongoing, highly specialised work, where the skills required are not otherwise readily available. The visa will also allow for the entry of people who are invited from overseas to participate in events.

The Immigration Minister explained, “This new visa is for people who need to come to Australia for highly specialised non-ongoing work on a short-term basis.”

Mr. O’Connor further clarified that new visa is not related the existing 457 program for foreign nationals coming and working in Australia on temporary basis.

“It is not related to the 457 program for temporary skilled visas and the Government remains committed to strengthening the safeguards to ensure the 457 program is not being exploited by unscrupulous employers to the disadvantage of local workers,” said the immigration minister.

The Minister said that no amendments to the visa eligibility requirements are being made for tourists, business visits or people requiring medical treatment in Australia. The visitor visa subclasses are being cut from nine to four with standardised eligibility requirements.

Mr. O’Connor said, “There will be no change to current visa eligibility for tourism, business visitor activities, sponsored family visits, and medical treatment, and care has been taken to ensure there is no impact on program integrity settings.”

The new visa program will come into force if the Governor General approves the legislation.

The post Australia Introducing New Short Activity Visa for Foreign Workers appeared first on News.Visato.com.

US Ambassador to China, Gary Locke said that the entire purpose of this new policy is to make visa interviews, visa procedures and checking visa status easier and more effective. He added that once this policy is in effect, visa holders will only have to pay a standard processing fee ($160) for almost all non-immigrant visas.

“The visas are government tools to ensure safe and orderly international travel. And what makes our work worthwhile is the deep and meaningful relationship between our two great peoples. It brings American and Chinese culture together and builds bridges of understanding between us,” said Locke.

Locke added that there will be no additional fees for scheduling visa interview appointments or changing visa interview dates. He also mentioned that there will be no fees on returning applicants’ passports. Moreover, Locke informed all interested candidates that for the initial three weeks of the policy implementation, there will be no charges on the hotline to make appointments or inquire about the new policy.

In addition, the new policy will offer a variety of payment options to applicants, such as paying online via debit card or foreign credit card. Right now, the current policy restricts applicants to pay via processing fee via cash at China Citic Bank. The new policy would also allow applicants to pay the fee at any China Citic Bank’s ATM.

The new policy will introduce China Citic Bank the authority to distribute passports. Applicants will be able to collect their passports from branch of the bank. As of now, applicants are restricted to collect their passports from the embassy of the United States.

There are a number of other changes that will be introduced in order to make the process easier and more effective for Chinese tourists. For instance, the new policy will initiate several online services such as conducting online interviews and checking status of their applications and their passports.

Back in the day, the US reduced the waiting time for an appointment to 5 days, and the embassy is now working on reducing it further.

Mr. Locke added that the entire purpose of this new policy is to make sure Chinese tourists go through the process smoothly, without any hindrances. According to him, the Embassy wants to improve services for Chinese tourists.

Since more than 650,000 Chinese tourists visited the United States in the first half of last year, it becomes imperative for the US embassy to ensure they get better treatment so that they could land up more often.

In an attempt to make relations much sweeter between the two countries, the US Embassy believes it is best to promote tourism and allow more and more Chinese visitors to visit the United States.

The post United States to Reduce Visa Cost and Improve Customer Service for Chinese Tourists appeared first on News.Visato.com.

“We advice applicants to get to know the specific requirements for the visa they are interested in. Only certain skilled visa options are available through SkillSelect. The visa information booklets on our website will help people to understand who qualifies to migrate to Australia,” said one of the spokesmen for the department.

In addition, the department also stressed on the fact that there is an online Visa Wizard that is meant to help applicants select the most appropriate type of visa. In addition, Booklet 11 is a sort of tutorial, guiding applicants about the entire process; how it works and how one should apply. Moreover, there is a Getting Started user guide on the support site, allowing applicants to go through the entire process step by step; a sort of walkthrough.

Applicants can use the online Visa Wizard to find which type of visa suits them in accordance with their circumstances. Applicants can also find a list of occupations that are eligible for the skilled migration program.

“Ensure all your documents are in order before you start your online EOI. Until you provide evidence of all required documents, such as an IELTS test and skills assessment, you will have an incomplete EOI in SkillSelect,” the spokesman added.

“When you fill out the EOI questions you should take your time and ensure you understand the questions. If you get stuck or don’t understand a question use the question mark icons. They provide information to help you answer. Also update your details in your EOI as soon as your circumstances change. This will ensure your updated details are considered in the next automatic invitation round. You also won’t be caught out if you receive an invitation before updating your details as SkillSelect automatically suspends access to an EOI when it sends an invitation,” the spokesman further explained.

In other words, every applicant is marked with a unique EOI identification number (their username) once they create an EOI profile on the website. Applicants need to remember their security question, was it is the only way to reset their password later on.

“Remember, you must be able to support the claims you make in your EOI with documentation and have this ready to provide when making your application,” added the spokesman.

In addition, the Department has also emphasized on the fact that if an occupations hits its ceiling (maximum limit of invitations) then no more automatic invitations will be passed on. In other words, the ceiling for that particular visa would be hit and it would be reserved for the year, until there are any changes made to the process.

The post Tips by Department of Immigration to Help Visa Applicants for SkillSelect Scheme appeared first on News.Visato.com.

“The Government is committed to attracting an increasing number of visitors to Canada as part of our plan to grow the Canadian economy and create jobs,” said Mr. Kenney. “We strive to issue visas as quickly as possible to facilitate travel for genuine visitors – to welcome tourists, to reunite families – and benefit from the economic spinoff they bring to Canada.”

According to Jason Kenney, the number of visas issued in 2012 shows a 40% jump since 2004. He added that this steady pace in the increase of Canadian visa issuance marks Canada as the most favorable tourist destination of the world.

“Welcoming more international travelers to Canada creates jobs and growth in our country. Receiving a visa in a timely and efficient manner is important to our visitors, and helps position Canada competitively as a destination of choice in the world,” he added.

In the recent past, the Canadian government has adopted several measures to ensure new visitors are attracted to the country. They have facilitated applicants in a way that allows them easier access to the country. In July 2011, multiple-entry visas saw an extension from 5 years to 10 years. In other words, visitors were allowed to visit Canada for around six months in a 10 year tenure.

Moreover, the government also allowed parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to apply for Parent and Grandparent Super Visa. This visa scheme offered parents and grandparents a tenure of 10 years to spend in Canada; not more than 24 months in a single go.

Recently, Jason Kenney applauded the contributions made to the country by immigrants from different parts of the world.

“The Government of Canada is committed to recognizing and educating Canadians about the experiences of those pioneers who overcame such heavy burdens,” he said in a press release on Monday.

“Their experiences mark an unfortunate period in our nation’s history. We must ensure that they are never forgotten,” he added.

Canada has become an immigration hub recently. It has successfully established sweet relationships with developing nations such as India, China and Pakistan. Canada enjoys a huge number of Indian visitors every year, with most of them visiting the country for education, work or business. Therefore, there have been a lot of advancements in the visa system lately, to facilitate Indians especially throughout the entire process.

During a gathering at Canada-China Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s Chinese New Year Celebration on February 8, Prime Minister of Canada asserted, “When I think about the Canadian-Chinese community and how successful it is, how vibrant, how integral to Canadian life, it’s hard to imagine just how difficult things were within the span of a lifetime.”

“I’m referring to the head tax and the exclusion of Chinese immigrants, shameful acts that produced extreme hardship and divided families. That’s why in our first mandate, our government issued a full apology to the living victims of those misdeeds, along with symbolic compensation,” he added.

The post Canada Hits Record Breaking Visa Issuance in 2012 appeared first on News.Visato.com.

President of the United States barrack Obama has constantly raised awareness for identifying illegal immigrants living inside the United States. The bill will provide security to business owners in the United States by allowing them to check visa system of their recently hired employees.

Furthermore, the newspaper reported that the bill would require immigrants to pass a criminal background check, pay fees for the new visa system and submit biometric information. Moreover, immigrants with criminal background or ones who have stayed in jail for more than 90 days will not be eligible for this new system. In addition, immigrants who have committed crimes in other countries that would restrict them to enter the country would also not be entertained.

According to USA Today’s article, immigrants who are currently in deportation would also be eligible for the visa. They will be eligible to apply for a green card within tenure of eight years. However, there are some conditions that they would have to fulfill such as learning English and U.S. history. Once they get the green card, they can later be eligible to become permanent U.S. residents.

“While the president has made clear he will move forward if Congress fails to act, progress continues to be made and the administration has not prepared a final bill to submit,” read a statement by Clark Stevens, spokesman for the White House. He added that the President is still in support of the bipartisan legislation that was moved last month.

Denis McDonough, President Obama’s chief of staff, reported that the White House has not yet proposed anything to Capitol Hill yet regarding immigration. However, he told This Week that the White House is working with the bipartisan group of senators to create a comprehensive immigration bill.

“If actually proposed, the president’s bill would be dead on arrival in Congress, leaving us with unsecured borders and a broken legal immigration system for years to come,” said Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who has been involved in creating the legislation.

Similarly, Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, labeled the bill as ‘very moderate’. However, he did complain that there is a lack of attention towards the issue of immigration in the United States.

“Common-sense immigration reform must include a functioning immigration system for the future. Reform does not begin and end with citizenship and enforcement alone,” read a part of Noorani’s statement.

For now, according to USA Today, the White House is focusing on creating a legislation that would sort out a way to give legal citizenship to illegal immigrants. The United States currently stands with a total of 11 million illegal immigrants and probably it is time for the government to put an end to it.

The post White House to Provide New Visa to Illegal Immigrants appeared first on News.Visato.com.

The program was last updated more than ten years back, when it was expanded to ensure tourists and investors stay longer in the country. Back then, the move was made to add to the economy, since the country was seeing a boom in foreign investment. The expansion allowed tourists to stay a year in Australia once they complete a stay of three months.

“[Working Holiday Visa holders] make beds, hose, sweep and do the thousand and one jobs that young Aussies don’t want to do,” said Don Morris of Hamilton Island, as reported by Visa Bureau.

“These working holidaymakers are reliable, educated and smart. They work hard, play hard, spend big money and travel all over. The more we can do to get them to come here, and stay longer, the better.”

It should be noted here that the Australian Working Holiday visa is among the most sought after visa in the world. Since it allows tourists to stay for an extended period of time once they spend three months in the country, it is highly popular among those avid travelers.

Reports of expansion on visa emerged when news of dialogues between Tourism Australia and Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson came to light. According to several reported stories, Tourism Australia has convinced Mr. Ferguson to allow tourists and workers in the hospitality and tourism industry for the second year tenure. Since these two industries are not yet beneficiary of the previous expansions made, Tourism Australia wants it to happen in order to boom the tourism and hospitality industry in the country.

Tourism Australia is working hard on boosting the Australian tourism industry. Next month, they are launching a new campaign to promote Australian tourism, with an aim of making it double the size it is right now. According to a recent report, if Australian tourism grows on the same steady pace, it will be the country’s second biggest industry by 2020.

For now, reports suggest that the proposed expansions could take the country’s tourism to the next level. It would especially be beneficial to the tourism and hospitality industry, since the amendments would allow professionals and experts in these two industries to stay in the country for a longer period of time.

While right now there is no confirmation to believe whether the reports are true or not, keeping in mind the trend in Australian tourism industry and the government’s push to increase it further, one can say that the expansion is soon expected. Since it would give a boost to the country’s economy as well as welcome more workers, tourists and investors from around the globe, it will definitely be a move for the good of the country.

The post Amendments to Australian Working Holiday Visa Program Might be In Progress appeared first on News.Visato.com.