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The Home Secretary introduced sweeping immigration reforms aimed at reducing net migration, tightening controls and prioritizing higher skills. Key Points: The measures, first introduced in the Immigration White Paper published earlier this year, include: Raising the skills threshold for
Employment and Social Development Canada announced an increase in the wage threshold under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, impacting whether an application for a Labor Market Impact Assessment is submitted under the high-wage stream or low-wage stream. Key Points: If the wage being offered to
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will only accept the Jan. 20, 2025, edition of Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker starting July 30, 2025. Until July 30, petitioners can also use the Jan. 17, 2025, edition (edition dates are located at the bottom of
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti effective Sept. 2, 2025. Key Points: The TPS designation for Haiti was set to expire on Aug. 3, 2025, but will now terminate on Sept. 2, 2025. After interagency meetings,
The U.S. Embassy Jerusalem’s latest security alert states that Ben Gurion airport is now open and that the Israel Airport Authority has lifted restrictions on incoming/outgoing flights and the number of passengers on each flight. U.S. citizens are advised to check for seat availability on El
Starting July 1, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will no longer send short message service (SMS), also known as text messages, from the number 468-311 (GOV-311). The new official SMS number will be 872466 (USAIMM). This change affects all USCIS text communications, including case status updates, appointment reminders and security notifications.
The General Directorate of Passports announced an initiative to extend all expired visit visas to allow for a legal final exit from the country. Key Points: Through the initiative, individuals with expired visit visas have a 30-day grace period to regularize their visa status and
The Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced that the Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) will add over 22,000 additional staff from abroad in the second half of the year. Key Points: The council reviewing the
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released an alert on updated policy guidance for the TN visa program under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) clarifying eligibility, filing procedures and occupational criteria for Canadian and Mexican professionals seeking employment in the United States. Key Points: The policy
Effective June 25, 2025, the list of eligible fields of study for post-graduation work permits (PGWP) has been updated to reflect jobs in long-term shortages. Key Points: The updated list includes 920 fields of study eligible for a PGWP, including the following changes: 119 new
The Immigration Department announced that certain immigration service fees will increase by up to 51% starting Sept. 8, 2025. Key Points: Impacted services include the issuing of visas and entry permits and dispatch services for delivering travel documents outside of Hong Kong. The impacted service
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem will resume regular appointments for U.S. passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA) today, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. Emergency passport services will be available without appointments for walk-ins before 8:30 a.m. in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Visa operations in both
The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) issued a reminder that the three-day filing window for H-2B visa applications with an October 1, 2025, start date will open at 12 a.m. ET on July 3 and close at 11:59 p.m. ET on July 5, 2025. Key
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) launched the new CBP Link mobile app, which facilitates certain processes and functions for businesses and travelers entering the United States. Key Points: CBP Link enables Visa Waiver Program travelers to apply and pay for an
The State Department released a worldwide caution security alert advising U.S. citizens to exercise increased caution while travelling abroad. The U.S. Embassy in Qatar issued a security alert for American citizens to shelter in place until further notice. The
Update on applications received for requested date of need from Oct. 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025 (fiscal year (FY) 2025 first half of the visa cap): The Department of Labor reported that as of June 14, a total of 5,947 cases were issued Final Decisions. Certified positions for this
A federal court expanded a Preliminary Injunction (PI) on June 17 pausing enforcement of the Trump administration’s new passport policy and allowing the issuance of U.S. passports to applicants with an “X” marker or those listing a sex different from their sex at birth. Key Points: In February,