Immigration news updates for APAC and EMEA regions
Asia-Pacific
Australia: Migration Amendment (Strengthening Employer Compliance)
The Migration Amendment (Strengthening Employer Compliance) Act 2024, which was enacted on February 22, 2024, amends the Migration Act 1958 to strengthen measures for ensuring employer compliance. This new law, which will become effective on July 01, 2024, introduces several important components:
The compliance Notices for Work-related Violations: Outlines how authorized officers can issue compliance notices to non-compliant employers, detailing necessary corrective actions and penalties for non-compliance.
Penalty Adjustments: Standardizes and increases penalties for violations within the Migration Act, including potential imprisonment and higher fines for certain offenses.
Prohibited employers: Establishes a system to designate individuals or organizations as prohibited employers for failing to comply with migration laws, particularly regarding sanctions against migrant workers. Criteria for designation include past violations and the level of non-compliance, with prohibited employers facing restrictions on hiring certain non-citizens and significant penalties for breaches.
New Employer Sanctions: Imposes penalties, including jail time and fines, on employers who coerce or improperly influence lawful and unlawful non-citizens to accept employment arrangements that violate visa conditions or impact their immigration status.
Enforceable Undertakings for Work-related violations: Introduces a process for enforceable undertakings to resolve compliance disputes outside of court.
Additional Amendments: Makes various changes to improve the functionality of the Migration Act, including adjustments to delegation authority and removal of certain sections.
The legislation underscores the Australian government’s commitment to protecting non-citizens from exploitation by employers and ensuring that non-compliant employers face serious consequences. It aims to strengthen the integrity of the migration system through consistent penalties, enforceable actions, and detailed compliance notice requirements.
This summary was prepared using the information from the Parliament of Australia
Disclaimer: The above information is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further inquiries regarding the applicability of this information, please contact Roberta Carnaccini (Global Director of Immigration) and Debra Jane Beynon (Regional Immigration Manager, APAC).
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Serbia: Legislation changes in Serbian immigration law
Serbia underwent a thorough review and made changes to its immigration procedures and regulations in February 2024.
These changes involve the launch of a new online platform for visa and permit applications, updating market testing procedures, and improving the renewal process for Assignment and Intra-company Transfer Work Permits. Over the past few years, Serbia has implemented several significant reforms, such as the introduction of the “Single Permit” that combines Residence and Work Permits.
These continuous changes aim at simplifying and speeding up the visa application process for both applicants and employers, as part of the country’s strategy to attract foreign talent.
This summary was prepared using information from our local service partner.
Disclaimer: The above information is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further inquiries regarding the applicability of this information, please contact Roberta Carnaccini (Global Director of Immigration) and Veronika Vitkova (Team Leader, EMEA).
United Kingdom: Statement of Changes to immigration rules
The UK government has officially announced modifications to the regulations governing the eligibility and dependency rights of health and care workers under the Skilled Worker pathway.
The changes were outlined in a Statement of Changes to the UK’s immigration rules, which also addressed adjustments to the country’s temporary protection schemes for Ukrainian nationals.
The alterations to the Skilled Worker pathway are expected to have minimal immediate effects on businesses, charities, and voluntary organizations that rely on these routes to sponsor workers.
This summary was prepared using the information from the UK government
Disclaimer: The above information is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further inquiries regarding the applicability of this information, please contact Roberta Carnaccini (Global Director of Immigration) and Joanna Sogeke (Team Leader, EMEA).
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