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IMPACT – MEDIUM
What is the change? South Korea will observe public holidays on May 7 and 22 and June 6 and 13.
What does the change mean? Government offices will be closed and in-country immigration processing will be suspended on those days.
Background: Government offices will be closed May 7 for the Children’s Day holiday, May 22 for Buddha’s Birthday, June 6 for Memorial Day and June 13 for local elections.
BAL Analysis: Employers should plan for the closures and, if needed, file time-sensitive applications and notifications before May 6. South Korean embassies and consulates around the world may be closed for the holidays as well, though schedules may vary.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in South Korea. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.
Copyright © 2018 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.
What is the change? The Islamic month of Ramadan is expected to begin around May 16, causing processing to slow down as offices in countries with majority or significant Muslim populations will curtail their working hours.
What does the change mean? Employers and individuals should anticipate shorter business hours from approximately May 16 through June 14. Offices in many countries will close for three or more days immediately thereafter for the Eid al-Fitr holiday. If possible, employers should file applications to obtain decisions on any urgent cases before Ramadan begins.
Background: Ramadan is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar and is a time when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset and increase time spent in prayer and introspection. The month is expected to begin around May 16, but lunar dates vary by one to two days, depending on local practices. Individual countries typically announce the first day of Ramadan closer to the beginning of the month when actual or predicted moon sightings are confirmed.
Working hours also vary by country and government offices tend to close early. The Eid al-Fitr holiday, immediately following Ramadan, will close offices for three or more days in countries across the Middle East, North and West Africa, and Central and Southeast Asia.
BAL Analysis: Businesses and travelers are encouraged to plan ahead and file time-sensitive applications as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary delays. Those in need of services should check with individual offices for Ramadan hours when the holiday draws closer.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.
What is the change? Offices in a number of countries that celebrate Easter will close late this week and early next week for Good Friday and Easter Monday.
What does the change mean? Applicants should expect a slowdown in processing during the holiday break and potential backlogs when offices reopen.
BAL Analysis: Applicants should check with their BAL professional for holiday dates of individual countries. Those seeking consular processing should also note that embassies and consulates may observe their own unique holiday schedules.
BAL again is ranked as a top firm in the Global-wide category in the newly released Chambers Global Guide, an annual ranking of the best international law firms based on independent research and interviews with lawyers and clients worldwide.
Chambers recognizes BAL as an “acclaimed group of immigration specialists which evokes praise for its deep experience in corporate global mobility. The firm offers a broad spectrum of services from application support and immigration programme management to strategic advice on compliance and government relations. An impressive client base benefits from its ever-expanding global footprint, notably with the opening of a first office in the Middle East and a second office in Africa.”
Sources stated they value the firm’s client-centric approach, highlighting its “global online platform and customised reporting” as “one of its strongest points.” They enthuse that “their availability and customer service is top-notch” and “there is an open line of communication – they take on board suggestions and give it all the necessary weight.”
Notable practitioners listed for BAL include Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge, Founding Partner David Berry, Europe Managing Director Emily King, Asia Managing Director Christina Karl, and MENA Managing Director Hadi Allawi.
About Chambers Global Since 1990, Chambers has published an annual guide ranking the world’s best lawyers based on technical expertise, business acumen, prompt delivery, and value for money. A team of over 140 researchers conducts thousands of interviews worldwide to produce the rankings. Lawyers cannot buy their way into Chamber’s rankings; as a result, its annual directories are considered among the most accurate and reliable.
IMPACT – HIGH
What is the change? The Christmas and New Year’s holidays will slow immigration processing across much of the world at the end of the year and in early 2018.
What does the change mean? Applicants should anticipate closures of government and private offices for at least two days on and around Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Many countries celebrate longer breaks and shut down for several weeks.
Below is a summary of closures by region with noted countries that observe longer breaks.
Africa: Christmas and New Year’s coincide with the traditional summer holiday in much of Africa.
Europe: Longer breaks of one week or more are typical.
Latin America: Most government immigration offices will close Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
Asia: Most countries will observe one or more days for Christmas and New Year’s.
Oceania:
Middle East: Christmas is not observed as a public holiday, but some private offices may close.
North America:
BAL Analysis: Applicants should plan to file any time-sensitive applications as early as possible before the holiday break to avoid additional delays.
Copyright © 2017 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.
What is the change? Swaziland has published a proposal to bar foreign nationals from operating 31 classifications of, primarily, trading businesses.
What does the change mean? Foreign nationals who are already operating businesses in affected categories will not be impacted, but new entrants would not be granted the required trading licenses. The change was proposed in draft regulations published by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade.
Background: Since tabling the Reservation of Certain Trades and Businesses for Swazi Citizens Regulations 2017 before the House of Assembly earlier this month, the minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Jabulani Mabuza, has countered criticism that the government initiative may be illegal. “We have generations to look after as Swazis,” Mabuza has stated. “These are the people we have to ensure find that there are businesses reserved for them. We are not saying people who are from outside the country should not come and do business here. We are only saying foreigners should only do business in this country as investors.” The Federation of the Swazi Business Community has been lobbying for such a policy for many years and has therefore welcomed the publication of the new regulations. The businesses currently listed in the regulations are primarily trade-related, but also include service industries such as private investigation and debt collection.
BAL Analysis: It is anticipated that the Reservation of Certain Trades and Businesses for Swazi Citizens Regulations 2017 will be implemented later this year. The impact on international companies and foreign nationals wanting to invest in new opportunities in Swaziland has yet to be determined, however, as the Portfolio Committee for Commerce, Industry and Trade of the House of Assembly may extend the current list of business classifications reserved for Swazi nationals only and, as such, further restrict foreign access to local markets.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.
What is the change? Canada is set to launch a new Global Skills Strategy in June aimed at helping high-growth companies more easily recruit workers in recognized in-demand professions.
What does the change mean? Key details of the program remain unavailable, but its overarching goals include: (1) designating “high-growth” firms that make significant investments in the Canadian economy; (2) developing a list of in-demand occupations that would be exempt from standard advertising requirements; (3) setting a two-week period for processing time for visas and work permits application from qualifying firms recruiting workers in in-demand occupations; and (4) introducing a work authorization exemption for high-skilled foreign nationals coming to Canada for 30 days or less in a one-year period.
Background: Canadian officials announced plans for the new Global Skills Strategy in March. Little guidance is available at this point, however, as to how firms would qualify as high-growth or how the list of in-demand occupations will be put together. Only when this information becomes available will it become clearer who stands to benefit from the program. The 30-day work permit exemption will make it easier for employers to recruit certain foreign workers for short-term work assignments, but it is not clear at this point who will determine whether workers are “high skilled” and, therefore, eligible for the exemption.
BAL Analysis: The Global Skills Strategy has the potential to significantly help qualifying companies recruit high-skilled, in-demand foreign labor. BAL will provide more information as it becomes available, including information that will help determine what kind of firms will be eligible for the program and what kinds of workers will be considered in-demand.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Canada. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.
The United Kingdom raised its threat level to “critical” late Tuesday, with Prime Minister Theresa May saying another attack could be imminent after 22 people were killed in a bombing Monday night in Manchester.
May said the independent Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre raised the threat level to its highest level as officials continued work to determine whether a “wider group of individuals” are linked to the Manchester attack.
“I do not want the public to feel unduly alarmed,” May said. “We have faced a serious terrorist threat in our country for many years, and the operational response … is a proportionate and sensible response to the threat that our security experts judge we face.”
Key points:
Background: Officials raised the threat level after a man set off a bomb at an Ariana Grande concert late Monday in Manchester, leaving 22 dead. The attack drew widespread condemnation, and authorities urged people to exercise caution. The U.S. Embassy in London encouraged “U.S. citizens in the United Kingdom to directly contact family members in the United States.” The embassy further urged people to remain aware of their surroundings “especially in crowds or at large events, and monitor local news sources for updates.” French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel both released statements expressing shock. “I am following the reports from Manchester with great sadness and shock,” Merkel said. “It is incomprehensible that someone could use a joyful pop concert to kill or seriously injure so many people.”
BAL Analysis: The increased security measures raise the possibility of delays when traveling within the U.K. British and foreign nationals are urged to exercise caution and follow instructions from local authorities, particularly while the threat level remains at its current level. Foreign visitors are advised to register with their home country’s embassy in London, and business travelers may want to make sure their company’s human resources department is aware of their presence in the U.K.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact BerryApplemanLeiden@bal.com.
What is the change? The Islamic month of Ramadan is expected to begin around May 26 and processing will slow down as offices in countries with majority or significant Muslim populations will curtail their working hours during the month.
What does the change mean? Employers and individuals should anticipate shorter business hours from approximately May 26 through June 25, and offices will close for three or more days immediately thereafter for the Eid holiday. If possible, employers should file applications to obtain decisions on any urgent cases before Ramadan begins.
Background: Ramadan is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar and is a time during which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset and increase time spent in prayer and introspection. The month is expected to begin on the evening of May 26 and end June 25, but lunar dates vary by one to two days depending on local practices. Individual countries typically announce the first day of Ramadan closer to the beginning of the month when actual or predicted moon sightings are confirmed.
Working hours also vary by country and government offices tend to close early. The Eid al-Fitr holiday, immediately following Ramadan, will close offices for three or more days in countries across the Middle East, North and West Africa, and Central and Southeast Asia. In April, Malaysia’s e-Xpats Service Centre announced filing deadlines in advance of the Eid holiday (Hari Raya Aidil Fitri) June 23-27.
BAL Analysis: Businesses and travelers are encouraged to plan ahead and file time-sensitive applications as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary delays, and check with individual offices for Ramadan hours.
What is the change? South Korea will observe a series of public holidays on May 3, 5 and 9. A number of South Korean companies will also observe May 2, 4 or both days as temporary holidays.
What does the change mean? Government offices will be closed and in-country immigration processing will be suspended on the public holidays (May 3, 5 and 9), while many South Korean companies will also be closed on May 2 and/or 4.
Background: Government offices will be closed May 3 for Buddha’s Birthday, May 5 for Children’s Day and May 9 for the country’s presidential election. Government offices, including immigration offices, will be open on May 2 and 4, but many South Korean companies will also be closed on either May 2 or May 4, or on both days.
BAL Analysis: Employers should plan for the upcoming office closures and, if needed, file time-sensitive applications and notifications before May 3. South Korean embassies and consulates around the world may be closed for the holidays as well, though schedules may vary.