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The government of Turkey announced changes regarding work permit eligibility criteria, including updated minimum salary levels. Key Points: Effective Oct. 1, a new law entered into force updating the minimum salary levels by position, including: High-level managers and pilots: TRY 100,012.50 (about US$2,927) gross per
Dutch authorities have announced changes to the business portal login process for intermediaries requiring the use of chain authorization. Key Points: Beginning Nov. 4, intermediary users within the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) Business Portal will be required to log in
A group of farm and business organizations as well as the state of Mississippi have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Labor seeking to block implementation of a final rule expanding labor rights for H-2A workers. Key Points: The new lawsuit, filed in the U.S.
Irish officials announced that Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) will now have the primary responsibility of managing renewal of Irish immigration residence permissions for persons residing in all counties. Key Points: Effective Nov. 4, online renewals of permissions from all applicants nationwide may now be submitted using
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has updated Policy Manual guidance on the International Entrepreneur Rule. Key Points: The update incorporates the International Entrepreneur Program: Fiscal Year 2025 Automatic Increase of Investment and Revenue Amount Requirements Final Rule, which was published in
The U.S. State Department released the November Visa Bulletin. EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing saw no movement and remained the same as in October. All employment-based preference categories must use the Dates for Filing chart, which remains the same
Registration for the Diversity Visa 2026 lottery is open until Tuesday, Nov. 5. Key Points: Registration began Wednesday, Oct. 2, and closes Tuesday, Nov. 5, at noon EST. Please note that the Federal Register lists 2023 dates and has not yet been updated as
The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to depart Lebanon due to the volatile and unpredictable security situation in the country. The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon is available to provide assistance. Key Points: The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to depart Lebanon now while
The European Commission announced the implementation date for the Entry/Exit System (EES) will be further delayed. Key Points: As BAL previously reported, the official commencement date for the EES was scheduled for Nov. 10. The new border control system is part of a “Smart Borders” initiative
The Biden administration’s efforts to ease Dreamers’ ability to obtain work visas is paying off, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). Key Points: In June, the Biden administration clarified guidance regarding certain waivers for Dreamers — beneficiaries of Deferred
Irish officials have advised non-European Economic Area nationals who need a new Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card to apply as soon as possible and no later than Oct. 31 to accommodate delayed processing expected in the lead up to the busy holiday travel season. Key Points:
The government of Kenya announced a new digital nomad visa for eligible foreign nationals to work remotely from Kenya. Key Points: The digital nomad visa allows individuals who are employed by a company outside of Kenya to work remotely or as a freelancer. Applicants must have a valid passport, proof of
The Canadian government announced changes to its post-graduate work permit, effective November 1. Key Points: As BAL previously reported, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is implementing new measures on several temporary residence programs, including the post-graduation work permit, which will have
The American Immigration Council (AIC) released their New American Fortune 500 report for 2024. The report reflects the important role immigrants and their children play in founding many of the most successful companies in the United States. Key Points: The new report shows that, in 2024,
In this week’s episode of the BAL Immigration Report, Gabriel Castro discusses O-1 visas and why more employers are considering them as an alternative to the H-1B lottery. Plus, the latest immigration news. Explore more episodes of the BAL Immigration Report
The stakes are high for the 2024 presidential election, especially for immigration programs. A change in administrations could result in a reactionary environment and swift immigration challenges on day one. As we count down to the election, now is the time to prepare your immigration program for any outcome. Download this
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, commonly referred to as the green card lottery, was established by the U.S. government to provide individuals from countries with low immigration rates a chance to live and work in the U.S. Each year, the U.S. Department of State conducts a random lottery drawing to
In this week’s episode, BAL’s Steve Plastrik highlights the immigration trends for Fiscal Year 2024 that impacted employers including H-1B selection rates. View the links below for visualized data of the trends mentioned in his analysis:
In March, USCIS conducted an initial random selection for registrations for the Fiscal Year 2025 H-1B cap. Recently, they determined they would need to select additional registrations to reach the FY 2025 regular cap and as of Aug. 5, USCIS announced a sufficient number of registrations for the second
In this election cycle, the issue of immigration is not just about what is happening at the border. The direction of the H-1B visa program is also on the line. The H-1B nonimmigrant visa program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations to work temporarily in the