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  • Canada | Temporary policy for international students ends

    Canadian officials announced new rules for international students who work off campus. ‌Key Points: As BAL previously reported, officials announced an increase in the cost-of-living financial requirement for study permit applications Jan. 1. As part of that effort, the government also waived the 20-hour-per-week limit on

  • United States | June Visa Bulletin: No movement in categories

    The U.S. State Department released the June Visa Bulletin, showing no advancement in most key employment-based categories. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed that in June it will use Final Action Dates to determine filing eligibility. India EB-3 advanced by one

  • United States | Reminder: DOL accepting input on Schedule A occupation list through May 13

    The Department of Labor is accepting public input on whether to revise its Schedule A list of job classifications through May 13. Key Points: President Biden issued an Executive Order last year with several provisions directing federal agencies to streamline immigration procedures and help keep the

  • Ukraine | Consular services suspended for certain Ukrainian nationals

    The Ukrainian government has suspended consular services for military-age male nationals living abroad. ‌Key Points: The new measure follows a recent mobilization law adopted by the Ukrainian parliament. The affected individuals, male citizens ages 18 to 60, are currently unable to apply for passports or other travel documents, including renewals, at

  • United States | Diversity Visa results available

    Diversity Visa lottery results for DV-2025 applicants are now available on the State Department’s Entrant Status Check webpage. Key Points: To check their status online, individuals who entered the lottery will need to provide their entrant confirmation number, last name or family name and year of

  • United States | Data shows continued increase in nonimmigrant visas issued

    Nonimmigrant visa issuance continued to climb in fiscal year 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic totals, according to recently published State Department statistics. According to the Report of the Visa Office 2023, the State Department issued a total of 10,438,327 nonimmigrant visas, up more

  • United States | USCIS updates FAQ, cites petitions filed with incorrect fees

    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services updated its FAQ on the new fee rule to help certain petitioners understand how to submit the correct required fees. Key Points: The final USCIS fee rule went into effect April 1, 2024, marking the most

  • European Union | Latest immigration updates

    The adopted revision to the 2011 single-permit directive has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, and the EU Council has temporarily suspended certain elements of EU law that regulate visa issuance to Ethiopian nationals. Key Points: The

  • Australia | New permanent resident visa ballot date

    Australian authorities announced that the new Pacific engagement visa will open its first ballot on June 3. Key Points: As BAL previously reported, Australian authorities introduced a new permanent resident visa program called the Pacific engagement visa for nationals of participating

  • Thailand | New immigration initiatives announced to boost tourism

    The Thai government is introducing several new immigration initiatives designed to increase tourism and spur economic growth. Key Points: The Thai cabinet recently approved the extension of a policy that allows Russian tourists to enter Thailand for 60 days until July 31, 2024. The Immigration Bureau stated that visa holders are

  • United States | USCIS data shows drop in H-1B registrations this year

    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today that it received 479,953 total registrations for this year’s H-1B lottery — a figure substantially less than last year’s record-breaking 780,884. The agency attributed the decline to the undertaking of fraud investigations and implementation of the new beneficiary-centric selection

  • United States | Supreme Court hears arguments involving spouse’s visa denial

    The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments last week in a closely followed case involving a California woman whose husband was denied an immigrant visa to rejoin her in the United States. Sandra Muñoz, a U.S. citizen, sued the federal government after her husband, Luis Asencio Cordero, a citizen of El Salvador,

  • United States | Labor Department posts final H-2A regulation

    The U.S. Department of Labor announced a final H-2A regulation Friday, saying the rule was crafted to target the “vulnerability and abuses experienced by workers under the H-2A program that undermine fair labor standards for all farmworkers in the U.S.” The H-2A program allows employers to hire temporary agricultural workers

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