Global immigration news round-up

20.11.2024

This week, the Global Immigration team at Smith Stone Walters would like to highlight the following recent updates from Australia, China, Finland, Kazakhstan and the United States.

Australia: Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) announced for India

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has announced that, from December 2024, graduates and early career professionals from India’s top universities can register in the pre-application ballot for a Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) (subclass 403) visa.

If selected in the ballot, applicants will be required to meet additional criteria for the grant of a subclass 403 MATES stream visa.

There will be 3000 temporary visa places each year through the visa pre-application ballot process. Participants will be able to bring eligible dependent family members.

Eligible fields of study include:

renewable energy
mining
engineering
information and communications technology
artificial intelligence
financial technology
agricultural technology.

Applicants, who must be aged from 18 to 30 years (inclusive) can be inside or outside Australia to register in the ballot. There is a ballot registration fee of AUD 25.

China: China and Solomon Islands sign mutual visa exemption agreement

On 7 November 2024, China and the Solomon Islands signed an agreement on mutual visa exemption. The agreement will take effect once both countries have completed their respective domestic legal procedures.

Finland: Pause in processing of work-based permits in January 2025

The decision-making on certain residence permit applications will be paused from 1 to 8 January 2025. The processing pause concerns the residence permit for an employed person and the residence permits for seasonal work where the permit period is at least six months.

The decision-making on first and extended permits will be on pause.

Holders of a current permit which is about to expire who require an extended permit, should submit an application as soon as possible.

The pause does not affect the submission of residence permit applications: Applications can be submitted normally through even during the pause period.

Permit holders should apply for an extended permit before their current permit expires. An application is considered to have arrived in time it is submitted via Enter Finland before the previous residence permit expires. However, it may take longer than normal for a decision to be issued.

Finland: Work permit services to be transferred from TE Offices to Finnish Immigration Service on 1 January 2025

The employment and economic development services in Finland are being reformed, and the interruption in decision-making on certain work-based permits in January permits the necessary changes in automation and data systems.

Until January, applications for a residence permit for an employed person and applications for a residence permit for seasonal work that exceeds six months have been processed in two stages: The TE Office has first issued a partial decision before forwarding the application to the Finnish Immigration Service for further processing.

As of 1 January 2025, the Finnish Immigration Service will inspect and assess all the requirements for work-based residence permits all at once. The reorganisation of responsibilities aims to enhance the customer experience and to ensure a more seamless process.

Kazakhstan: Updated regulations introduce new visa categories

Effective 18 November 2024, Kazakhstan is implementing updated visa regulations, including several new visa types, aimed at creating favourable conditions for business immigrants, skilled professionals, and travellers.

The new measures include:

B9 Visa – for representatives of sought-after professions, which allows further registration of a residence permit;
Digital Nomad Visa – a single-entry electronic or multiple-entry paper visa for Information Technology specialists, allowing long-term residence;
Neo Nomad Visa – a tourist visa for “neo-nomads” granting extended stays for those with a verified monthly income of at least USD 3000;
The required documentation for a C5 business visa has been significantly reduced, and the minimum duration of marriage for family reunification visas has been shortened from three years to one.

These measures aim to improve the investment climate, foster international collaboration, attract skilled professionals, and enhance Kazakhstan’s appeal as a tourist destination.

United States: Immigration Medical Examination Documentation Will Be Valid Indefinitely for Certain Afghan Nationals

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 8, Part B, Chapter 3, to reflect that immigration medical examination documentation for certain Afghan nationals who arrived in the United States during Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) is valid indefinitely.

This means that Afghan nationals who arrived in the United States during OAW and meet certain conditions will not have to repeat an immigration medical examination when they apply to adjust their status to lawful permanent resident (also known as getting a Green Card).

This updated guidance is effective immediately and applies to any Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, that is pending or filed on or after 13 November 2024. This updated guidance applies to Afghan nationals who arrived in the United States during OAW and received a full immigration medical examination either in the United States (documented on Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record) or outside the United States (documented on Form DS-7794, Electronic Medical Examination for Visa Applicant, or Form DS-2054, Medical Examination for Immigrant or Refugee Applicant).

United States: USCIS Updates Guidance on Lawful Admission for Permanent Residence Requirement for Naturalization

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify that a naturalization applicant’s burden to demonstrate they have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence applies only to their initial admission as a lawful permanent resident (LPR) or adjustment to LPR status.

USCIS is updating Volume 12, Part D, Chapter 2 in the Policy Manual to clarify that an applicant for naturalization must show that they have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence in accordance with all immigration laws in effect at the time of admission or adjustment. Consistent with the 4th Circuit Decision in Azumah v. USCIS, 107 F.4th 272 (4th Cir. 2024), USCIS will consider whether a naturalization applicant was lawfully admitted for permanent residence or was lawfully adjusted to permanent resident status at the time of their initial admission or adjustment, regardless of whether they were lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of any subsequent re-entries to the United States.

This guidance, contained in Volume 12 of the Policy Manual, is effective immediately and applies to requests pending or filed on or after the publication date.