Immigration Advice Work Permits

November 27, 2009

Move to the US

Filed under: Immigration Requirements,US Visas,Visa Immigration,Work Permit — New Thirteen @ 10:30 am

Renowned for its vast landscapes and as being a melting pot of diverse cultures, its no wonder that the USA is such an attractive proposition for anyone wanting to make a new life for themselves. Have you ever dreamed of seeing the Statue of Liberty up close or standing on the edge of the incomparable Grand Canyon? Ever dreamed of visiting the sights and sounds of Hollywood?

US immigration laws, though known for being a little complicated, actually offer several opportunities for USA immigration, because there are many types of non-Immigrant US visas or temporary US options available.

In terms of securing a short-term American visa, if your country is not a member of the US visa waiver scheme you must either apply for a B1 Business Visa or submit a B2 Travel Visa application. A longer period of stay, to live or work in the country, requires applying for an L1Visa, H1-B Visa or another type of non-Immigrant visa.

For anyone involved in business or investment, an E1 or E2 Visa should be applied for. These are valid for up to five years and offer the holder the opportunity to apply for a US Green Card.

If you are considering a more permanent stay, USA immigration also allows for family members to sponsor each other. If you are looking for employment opportunities, anyone with certain “extraordinary” abilities in their field, who can show an ability to contribute to American society, may apply for EB-1 and EB-2 visas.

Finally, permanent immigration to the US, via the Green Card, takes several years to fully comply with and usually begins with temporary applications.

November 23, 2009

United States Immigration

Filed under: Immigration Requirements,US Visas,Work Permit — New Thirteen @ 3:35 pm

The United States has a long history of welcoming new immigrants who will contribute to the nation’s development. America is more than twice the size of the European Union with a population of 306 million people and over the past ten years, more than 10million immigrants have moved to the country. Figures issued by the US Census Bureau put the average household income at $50,233 in 2007, while the average life expectancy is 77.8 years, one short of Western Europe. Finally, Americans watch television more often than any other country in the world, averaging 5 hours a day.

Work Permits
Currently there are over 60 different types of US work permits available to both skilled and non-skilled workers immigrating to the country. Among the most common work permit categories are US Business Visitors (B1), which allows a foreign national to temporarily enter the USA in order to conduct a variety of business-based activities, but not to engage in actual gainful employment. US H1-B Visas allow an employer in the United States to recruit foreign workers in specialty occupations for a period of up to six years. The US L1 Visa functions similarly to a UK work permit application, which allows a UK based company to transfer a specific worker to a branch office in the US.

US E1 Treaty Trader Visas are designed to make trade easy between America and certain countries and allow candidates to immigrate to the country, based on trade carried on with the USA. US E2 Treaty Investor Visas are similar to the E1 and allow qualifying candidates to migrate to the USA, based on investments made in US based businesses. US EB3 Visas are designed for applicants who can be categorised as professionals, “skilled workers” or “other workers”.

November 21, 2009

Getting a visa to South Africa

Filed under: South Africa Visas,Work Permit,Working Abroad — New Thirteen @ 9:35 am

South Africa’s Immigration Visas gives visitors the opportunity to go to the country for long-term work, excursions, study-based projects and permanent residency.

Work visa South Africa
Working in South Africa requires a work permit, which enables an individual to be employed there in a specific pre-arranged position and for a set period of time.

Visas in South Africa are also available for individuals who wish to start a business or invest in an existing enterprise.

Study visa South Africa
Studying in South Africa requires the South African Immigration Study Permit.

South African Immigration for Spouse and Family
Visas for a spouse can only be obtained by a life partner or spouse who is a permanent resident of South Africa or a bona fide citizen.

Family visas can be obtained for the entire family if necessary.

South African Retirement Visa
For retirees who wish to live in he country, a South African retirement permit can be granted. Its duration is for four years, but it can be renewed for an indefinite number of times.

Permanent Residence Visa in South Africa
Many of the visas previously mentioned are issued as a temporary residence permits. However, their holders may also qualify for permanent residency permits.

Visa to South Africa
Visitors to South Africa who only intend staying there temporarily, for holidays or visiting family and friends, may be granted Tourist Visas or South African Visitor Visas, which are normally valid for three months.

November 16, 2009

Guide to Indian Immigration

Filed under: Immigration Requirements,India Immigration,Work Permit — New Thirteen @ 10:29 am

The types of Indian visas offered for short-term relocation to the country include Indian business visa, Indian work permit, Indian tourist visa, Indian student visa and Indian medical visa, commonly known as the “M” visa.

There are two types of Indian business visa; the single type and the multiple entry type and both require a letter from the sponsoring India-based company and an introductory letter from the employer of the applicant in his country of residence.

Indian work permits are required by employers if they are to recruit skilled workers from abroad. They are also usually granted for applicants who are required to work in a specialty occupation.

Indian tourist visas are valid for six months and do not allow their holders to work in the country during their stay.

Indian student visas are given to students who wish to study in the country and their validity depends either on the applicant’s course or for a maximum of five years.

Indian Medical visas, or M visas, are given to foreign nationals who wish to visit the country for medical treatment. This visa is valid for one year, but can be extended as long as the applicant provides proof that continued treatment is necessary. As with normal tourist visas, medical visas are strictly a temporary route and do not offer a way of gaining permanent residency in the country.

For permanent residency in India, the country offers Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cards and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards. PIO cards, which are granted for 15 years, allow their holders to travel in and out of the country, while OCI cards are granted for life and also offer all the benefits of the PIO card.

November 8, 2009

US Visa for Trainees and Au Pairs

Filed under: US Visas,Visa Applications,Work Permit — New Thirteen @ 2:59 pm

The J-1 is a US visa programme aimed at interns or students who visit the country under exchange visitor programmes. The US visa programme grants temporary residence to foreign research assistants, teachers, scholars, college or university students, medical practitioners, non-academic specialists, au pairs, camp counsellors, summer students and other professionals who are to undergo business, industrial or academic training.

J-1 applicants must be between 18 and 26 years of age, high-school graduates, who are proficient in the English language and have no plans to permanently settle in the USA.

A J-1 visa, for the purpose of internship, requires a degree or professional certificate from a tertiary educational institution and a minimum of one year’s work experience or in cases of college undergraduates, a minimum of five years work experience. Interns may only remain in the USA for a maximum of 18 months. The residence period for trainees in agriculture, hotel and tourism industries is limited to a shorter duration, 12months.

The J-1 is also available to au pairs. The US visa programme allows au pairs, young people who live with host families while providing child care services, to stay in the USA for 12 months, which can be extended by one more year. Au pairs, under the US visa programme, are required to spend at least six semester hours at an accredited US school.

Any expenses incurred by au pairs in the course of travelling to and from the USA must be shouldered by their host families, who must also provide them with suitable accommodation. Au pairs should not be asked to work for more than 45hours per week and they are entitled to 1.5 days of rest every week.

October 30, 2009

Overview of South African Work Permits

Filed under: Immigration Requirements,South Africa Visas,Work Permit — New Thirteen @ 2:32 pm

The South African Immigration Act, implemented in 2003, focused on how the allocation of working permits for South Africa could be simplified in order to employ foreigners more easily and to boost tourism in the country. As a result of this act, the South African immigration process has been greatly simplified. With correctly completed documentation, applications are now processed quickly and once approved, a qualified applicant may travel to the country immediately.

Work permit applications are handled by the Department of Home Affairs and once approved you also receive a temporary residence permit. This process may take time, since it involves documents coming from both South Africa and the individual’s source country.

The High Commissions and Embassies take care of intra company transfer applications and secondment. For the first category, the individual company has to have an established presence in both the source country and South Africa, under the same international group. The employee moving from the source country to South Africa should be clearly identified. Secondments, on the other hand, relate to a company in the source country sending an employee to South Africa to provide a specific service and the employee should be part of a wider service agreement. There is no specific criterion, but the selected employee must be able to do the task at hand and should have been employed by the company for not less than six months.

If a particular candidate is successful in his/her South African immigration application, a family member or members can accompany them, as long as the necessary documents are presented. An individual, however, cannot apply for a work permit directly. The employer should handle this, since the requirements have to be employer-specific. Visas are already included in the work permit application.

October 27, 2009

Move to US with H1B Visa

Filed under: H-1B Visas,Immigration Requirements,US Visas,Work Permit — New Thirteen @ 3:18 pm

The H1B visa, otherwise known as the work permit and specialty occupation visa, allows aliens to move to the USA, to take up temporary employment for a maximum of six years. The H1B is intended to attract skilled workers to move to the USA to ease skills shortages.

US immigration law defines a specialty occupation as a profession requiring theoretical and practical application of specialised knowledge such as architecture, engineering and medicine. The H1B requires a 4-year university degree relevant to the target job or a 3-year course plus three years of relevant job experience.

Candidates who fall short of the above educational requirements can still qualify for the H1B if they have 12 years of relevant work experience.

The H1B visa also allows dependents to move to the USA, along with the principal holder. It grants a minimum residency of three years, subject to a two-year extension and one further year. The maximum residency period is subject to some exceptions, one-year extension after the maximum residency period if the labour certification is pending for at least 365 days and a three-year extension after the maximum residency period if the government approves an I-140 Immigrant Petition.

H1B employees can file monetary claims against their sponsors if they are dismissed prior to the expiration of their contract. Sponsoring employers are required to reimburse the relocation or travel expenses incurred by H1B holders as a result of premature termination of their employment contract.

For taxation purposes, H1B employees are categorised as either Resident Aliens or Non Resident Aliens. A method called the “substantial presence test” is used to determine the tax residency of H1B workers.

October 22, 2009

UK Visa and UK Relocation

Filed under: Immigration Requirements,UK Immigration,Work Permit — New Thirteen @ 2:28 pm

There are various types of UK visas designed for specific groups of immigrants.

For business purposes, Tier 1 is a Points Based Service (PBS) that is designed to assist the relocation of skilled migrants to the UK. Tier 2 Work Permits require visa applicants to have a confirmed employment offer with a British firm. The Entrepreneur visa permits experienced businessmen to live in the UK and start a business within the country. Finally, visa applicants who are simply intending to invest in the British economy can come to the country by obtaining a Tier 1 Investor visa.

Anyone who has been successful in applying for a UK visa in a category leading to settlement can also make an application for permanent residency or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK.

Study visas, Post Study Work Programmes and Youth Mobility Schemes are among the range of visas for UK immigration that allow people to train or study in the country. The Tier 4 Student visa permits international students to study in the UK. The Post Study Work Programme and Youth Mobility, however, goes beyond the restrictions of a study visa by allowing young people and students to work in the country for a limited time.

Apart from helping skilled individuals to work and live in the UK, assistance is also provided for anyone who wants to settle in the country. Partner and relationship immigration visas, including the UK Marriage visa, UK Fiancé visa or De Facto visa, are given to people with British connections who wish to move and settle in the UK.

The UK Visit visa, commonly referred to as Travel visa or Tourist visa enables tourists and visitors gain temporary access to the country.

October 20, 2009

Canadian visa Tips

Filed under: Canadian Immigration,Immigration Requirements,Work Permit,Working Abroad — New Thirteen @ 2:52 pm

Canada is one of the most popular destinations in the world, particularly for immigration. There are over 200,000 new immigrants and visitors every year, who enter the country via a comprehensive visa system.

One of the more common options is the Federal Skilled Worker Class visa. This is designed to cater to workers with desirable skills that will provide a boost to the Canadian economy. A points system, based on age, work experience, education and ability to adapt is in place to screen potential applicants. Anyone who is granted entry will also gain the same rights as a Canadian citizen, except for the right to vote. For those who fail to pass the point system, there are other alternatives available.

For example, there is the Immigrant Investor programme. Simply put, this entails an applicant making a minimum investment of $400,000 in a government or province-approved venture. In addition, they must prove that they are capable of successfully setting up and operating a business and have a net worth of at least $800,000.

Another alternative is the Entrepreneur Programme. This requires the applicant to either purchase or invest in a commercial undertaking that will boost the economy and provide jobs for residents and their families.

Yet another alternative is the Canadian Family Visa. With this, Canadian citizens can sponsor foreign relatives for an agreed period of time, which can be between 3 and10 years. During this time, the relative must establish themselves within the society and the workforce.

October 15, 2009

All it takes is a Visa

Filed under: US Visas,Work Permit,Working Abroad — New Thirteen @ 3:53 pm

More and more people from many countries around the world are clamouring to get to the land of milk and honey, that is the United States of America. With the job opportunities available there, its democratic government and first class education system, many still see the USA as the ideal place to live and work, the country with just about the highest standard of living in the world.

However, before anyone can set foot in the country and live the American dream, they must first obtain an American visa. To be able to live in the United States, the applicant must present documents indicating an ability to live and survive in the country. Certain assessment tests are available online and they can help to get an idea of what it will be like to live in the United States.

Those with relatives already living in the country have a better chance of obtaining American visas, but it does not always hold true. Certain other documents are still required to ensure that the applicant will be able to live, without being a drain on society. If you believe you meet the criteria for a visa try the assessment tests online and see if you are. If not, you can check out what you need to do to get an American visa.

Another helpful tip is to consult an emigration officer or visit the United States Embassy in your native country, in order to discuss the matter further.

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