What’s new in global immigration?

28.08.2025

This week, the Global Immigration team at Smith Stone Walters would like to highlight the following recent updates from Canada, China, Denmark and New Zealand.

Canada: New medical exam requirement for Express Entry

Effective 21 August 2025, applicants under Express Entry are required to undergo an immigration medical exam (IME) before submitting the application.

Applicants who have never had a medical exam before should get one after they’re invited to apply. Their exam results must be valid when they submit their application for permanent residence and obtain permanent residence in Canada

Applicants are advised to get the exam done as close as possible to the date they apply online. Applicants must contact a panel physician directly.

Other permanent residence applicants will still be sent instructions on obtaining a medical exam after submitting their application.

Applicants who have already completed an IME as part of a previous application in the past five years (for example, to work or study) and are currently living in Canada, may not need to complete another one when applying for permanent residence.

These applicants must provide a copy of their IME number, an information printout sheet or an IMM 1017B Upfront Medical Report form from their previous medical exam when applying online.

If the old results are not valid, the applicant will receive instructions on how to get the medical exam done after submitting their application.

China: New visa category for young science and technology talent

Premier Li Qiang has signed a State Council decree which adds a new visa category, the K visa, applicable to eligible young science and technology professionals.

Applicants for this visa must meet the qualifications and requirements set by relevant Chinese authorities and submit supporting documentation.

The new rules will take effect on 1 October 2025.

Compared with the existing 12 ordinary visa types, K visas will offer more convenience to holders in terms of number of permitted entries, validity period and duration of stay, according to a press conference held by relevant authorities on Thursday.

After entering China, K visa holders can engage in exchanges in fields such as education, culture, and science and technology, as well as relevant entrepreneurial and business activities.

Applications for K visas do not require a domestic employer or entity to issue an invitation, but there are specific age, educational background and work experience. It is intended that the application process will be more streamlined.

Denmark: Change in the duration of residence and work permits issued in Greenland

Effective 22 August 2025, the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) is changing its practice regarding the duration of residence and work permits issued to foreign nationals who wish to come to Greenland to work.

Under the Aliens Act, as implemented in Greenland, a residence permit may be granted to a foreign national for the purpose of working in Greenland if either ‘significant employment or professional considerations justify granting the application’. In practice, residence permits are granted for a maximum of one year from the date of the decision.

Under the Landsting Act on the regulation of labour supply, Greenlandic employers are required to obtain a municipal permit if they wish to hire foreign labour for certain positions because qualified Greenlandic labour is not available. Foreign nationals applying for a residence permit on the basis of work in these areas in Greenland must present such a municipal permit in order to obtain a residence permit. These municipal permits are granted for a maximum of two years.

In order to create a better correlation between the length of the municipal permit and the residence and work permit, SIRI is now changing its practice so that residence permits based on work in Greenland can be granted for a maximum of two years. The same applies to accompanying family members of the aforementioned group of persons, as their residence permits follow those of the sponsor.

The change in practice will also mean that it will not be necessary to apply for an extension of the residence and work permit every year.

New Zealand: International student visa applications now on enhanced Immigration Online

Immigration New Zealand has announced that, on 18 August 2025, international student visa applications moved to its enhanced Immigration Online system. Groups of visa products are transitioning to the new system one by one. International student visas were the first transition completed by the Our Future Services programme.

From 18 August 2025, users will be automatically directed to the new application form when applying for one of the following student visa types: 

English Language Student Visa
Exchange Student Visa 
Fee Paying Student Visa 
Pathway Student Visa 
NZ Government Scholarship Student Visa 
Foreign Government Supported Student  Visa

All applications that were submitted on the old application form on or before 17 August 2025 will be processed. Applicants do not need to resubmit their application if they have already applied. They will have access to their application to upload documents and respond to Immigration New Zealand requests until the application is decided and the decision communicated.   

Those who have an unsubmitted draft application on the old application form have until 17 September 2025 to complete and submit it, or they can choose to start a new application on the new application form. 
After 17 September 2025, all remaining draft applications on the old form will be deleted and INZ will no longer be accepting paper applications. Applicants will have to start a new application on the new form. 
Further related family visa products will be transitioned to the new system alongside other products over the next year.