Entries for 2012
UNITED STATES - Public Comment Extended for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification Revisions
August 31, 2012 - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has extended the public comment period to September 21, 2012, for the revised version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Expanded instructions, layout revisions and ne...
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BRAZIL - Colombia Joins Mercosur Agreement for Temporary Residence Benefits
August 29, 2012 - Colombia has joined the Mercosur International Agreement to receive Temporary Residence benefits, causing such benefits to now be available to nationals of both Brazil and Colombia in the other’s country. Initially valid for two yea...
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BRAZIL - Strike Ends for Ministry of Foreign Affairs
August 29, 2012 - The Brazilian authority representing Ministry of Foreign Affairs workers, Sincicato - Sinditamaraty, has accepted the government’s proposal, effectively ending the strike on Tuesday. In its proposal, the government will be increasin...
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TURKEY - Appointment Backlog Grows in Istanbul, Now Affecting Work-Based Residence Permits
August 29, 2012 - The Vatan main station that handles all initial residence permit filings in the Istanbul municipality is releasing online appointments for dependents for mid-January 2013. Work-based residence permit appointments are being released ...
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PORTUGAL - Directives Bring Modifications to Visas, Residence Permits
August 28, 2012 - The following EU directives will be implemented in Portugal on Sept. 8, 2012, with the implementation of Law 29/2012:
Directive2008/115/CE
Directive 2009/52/CE
Directive2011/51...
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PORTUGAL - Implementation of EU Blue Card Directive Announced
August 28, 2012 - Portuguese authorities have taken preliminary steps to implement EU Directive 2009/50/CE, establishing the Blue Card permit for highly skilled foreign nationals. Law 29/2012 is slated to come into force on Sept. 8, 2012. The la...
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BRAZIL - Temporary Work Visas Eligible for Permanent Status After Two Years
August 28, 2012 - Foreign nationals may now apply for permanent status under a Vitem V Work Contract Visa (NR 80) after two years. Prior law required foreign nationals to live and work in Brazil for four years under this temporary work visa before th...
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United States - Office of Special Counsel Provides Guidance on Pre-Employment Inquiries
August 27, 2012 - Last week, the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) issued a letter cautioning against asking job applicants to specify citizenship and immigration status at the application stage. The ...
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AUSTRALIA - New Bill Proposes Tougher Penalties for Illegal Employment of Foreign Nationals
August 23, 2012 - A new bill is expected to be introduced into Parliament by the end of 2012, bringing with it significant penalties for employing foreign nationals without proper work permission. The Department of Immigration & Citizenship relea...
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FRANCE - Centralized Processing Extended to Additional Regions
August 21, 2012 - Aiming to provide a four- to six-week turnaround, the OFII (Office Français de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration) now offers centralized processing in certain regions for the European Blue Card, the “Skills and Talents” permit and t...
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