Americas
Colombia: Recent coronavirus measures
- State of emergency extended until November 30, 2020.
- Maritime, land and river border closures until September 30, 2020.
- International flights remain closed. Domestic flights have resumed operation between major and medium-sized cities.
- Preventive isolation measure is no longer compulsory.
No source available at the time of writing.
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 Operations Director, Immigration.
Asia-Pacific
China: Free entry visas for Chinese residence permit holders
- Thai and Singaporean holders of valid Chinese residence permits can apply for free entry visas at the China embassy/consulates in Thailand and Singapore.
- Japanese holders of valid Chinese residence permits can apply for an appropriate entry visa consistent with their original purpose of stay for free.
- Nationals of the following countries holding a valid Chinese residence permit can apply for a free entry visa at China visa centers and consulates in their respective countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
No source available at the time of writing.
Malaysia: Entry bans
- From September 7, 2020, travelers from Bangladesh, Brazil, France, Italy, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain and the U.S. will be banned from entry.
This summary was prepared using information from The Straits Times.
Singapore: Changes to minimum salary requirements
The Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) recently announced upcoming changes to the minimum qualifying salary for Employment Passes (EP), S Passes and job advertisement requirements.
Minimum fixed monthly qualifying salary:
The minimum fixed monthly qualifying salary for an Employment Pass is now 4,500 SGD. MOM will continue to factor in other existing criteria, such as educational qualification (only qualifications from accredited institutions will be considered) and work experience, when assessing applications.
Enhancement to Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) rules and job advertisement requirements:
As of October 1, 2020, companies will be required to advertise job vacancies on the National Jobs Bank portal (MyCareersFuture.sg) for positions with a fixed monthly salary less than SGD 20,000. The advertisement must be open to Singaporean candidates, in line with the Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices and remain posted for at least 28 calendar days. This requirement also applies to the S Pass.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the Ministry of MANPOWER.
Stay-Home Notices for Pass holders
- Pass holders (EP, Dependent Pass or S Pass/Work Permit) who have been approved to enter Singapore after Sept. 1, 2020, are required to serve their 14-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN) at SHN-dedicated facilities (SDF).
- Employers are required to pay for pass holders’ Covid-19 tests and stays at SDFs after entry.
No source available at the time of writing.
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 Debra Jane Beynon, Regional Immigration Manager (APAC).
Europe, Middle East and Africa
France:Amended Rules for Posted Workers
Since July 30, 2020, new rules have been introduced governing the posting of workers in France as in other Member States of the European Union. Resulting from the transposition of EU Directive 2018/957 of June 28, 2018, these rules concern different matters:
- Almost total application of the Labor Code from the 13th or 19th month of secondment
- Enhanced application of the principle of equal treatment to posted employees
- Confirmation of the principle of equal work, equal pay
- Strengthened obligations for employers
Employer obligations such as reimbursing employees for work expenses such as transport, accommodation and meals must be verified by the French Administration.
The foreign user company could be fined up to 4,000 Euros per posted employee (8,000 Euros for a repeat offence within a two-year period) if it does not demonstrate that it has fulfilled its obligations to the posted employee.
This summary was prepared using information obtain from the Ministre du travail de l’Emploi et de l’Insertion (in French).
Switzerland:Air transit requirements
- Passengers arriving from high-risk countries cannot enter Switzerland on a transit flight via non-high-risk countries.
- Passengers traveling from non-high-risk countries will be able to enter Switzerland even if they have a stopover in a high-risk country, providing they do not leave the transit area of the airport.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the  The Federal Council.
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 Laxmi Vikraman, Regional Immigration Manager (EMEA).
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