Latest updates in global immigration
This week, the Global Immigration team at Smith Stone Walters would like to highlight the following recent updates from Canada, China, France, Saudi Arabia and Slovenia.
Canada: Quebec suspends two permanent residence programmes
On 31 October 2024, the Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration of Québec published Québec’s Immigration Plan for 2025.
Under the Plan, Québec intends to admit between 48,500 and 51,500 immigrants under the regular immigration stream, in addition to admissions under the “Québec graduate” stream of the Québec Experience Program.
It also includes two temporary measures, effective 31 October 2024 until 30 June 2025 at the latest, to control the growth of permanent immigration in Québec:
The suspension of intake of applications under the “Québec graduate” stream of the Québec Experience Program:
As of 31 October 2024, the government of Québec will not receive any new applications for permanent selection under the “Québec graduate” stream of the Québec Experience Program.
All applications for permanent selection already submitted under this stream of the Québec Experience Program will continue to be reviewed by the MIFI.
Anyone already selected by Québec under this stream can pursue their immigration process leading to permanent residence.
Applications to add family members, including those for dependent children and spouses, are not affected by this suspension. These applications will continue to be received under the “Québec graduate” stream.
The “Temporary foreign worker” stream of the Québec Experience Program is not affected by the suspension of the intake of applications. It is still possible to submit an application for permanent selection under this stream.
The temporary suspension of invitations to submit an application for permanent selection under the Regular Skilled Worker Program (RSWP), and the Skilled Worker Selection Program (SWSP):
The Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration will not be issuing any invitations to submit an application for permanent selection under the Regular Skilled Worker Program (RSWP) and the Skilled Worker Selection Program (SWSP), which will replace it as of 29 November 2024.
Those invited to submit an application for permanent selection under the RSWP before 31 October 2024 can submit their application within the 60-day timeframe required by this program.
Applications for permanent selection already submitted under the RSWP will continue to be reviewed by the MIFI in accordance with the conditions of this program, including after the SWSP comes into effect.
Applications for job offer validation:
The temporary suspension of invitations will not have an impact on the duration of the validity of validated job offers (VJO), which is 18 months.
When the invitations resume, after 30 June 2025 at the latest, anyone holding a VJO can take advantage of it.
The Ministry will continue to receive and process applications for job offer validation for employers who wish to submit them despite the temporary suspension of invitations.
These measures are being put in place in the context of a sharp increase in the number of non-permanent residents and will make it possible to limit the number of admissions of immigrants under permanent immigration programs.
A new pluri-annual planning exercise for the period starting in 2026 will take both temporary immigration and permanent immigration into account. This exercise will take place in spring 2025.
China: Visa-free policy extended to further nationalities
On 1 November 2024, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that, effective 8 November 2024, China would extend its unilateral visa-free policy to nationals of Andorra, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovakia and South Korea.
Holders of ordinary passports from these countries will be eligible for a visa exemption policy when traveling to China for purposes such as business, tourism, visiting relatives or transit for up to 15 days. The policy is valid until 31 December 2025.
Earlier in 2024, similar unilateral visa-free entry was granted to citizens of Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand; and Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland.
France: Minimum wage increased
In France, a 2% increase in the minimum wage took effect on 1 November 2024.
The gross annual minimum wage is now EUR 21,621.60.
As a result, the following thresholds for various immigration statuses are also modified:
- Talent Passport – Employee on assignment: EUR 38,918.88
- Talent Passport – Qualified employee/Employee of a JEI/Employee of an innovative company: EUR 43,243.20
- Talent Passport – Company director: EUR 64,864.80
- Talent Passport – New business: EUR 21,621.60 (sufficient financial means).
The minimum salary for an EU Blue Card remains unchanged at EUR 53,836.50.
Saudi Arabia: Updated temporary work visa rules
On 15 October 2024, the Council of Ministers approved updates to the regulation of temporary work visas and seasonal work visas.
The updates take into account the needs of establishments operating in the Umrah season. The seasonal work visa is renamed to the “temporary work visa for Hajj and Umrah services”.
Furthermore, the grace period is extended to last from the fifteenth of the month of Sha’ban until the end of the month of Muharram.
Employers will no longer need endorsements to obtain temporary work visas for their foreign national employees. Visa holders will now be permitted to stay for 90 days, which can be extended for an additional 90 days.
The update also introduces stricter penalties for abuse of the system, with maximum fines of SAR 50,000.
The new amendments come into force 180 days after approval.
Slovenia: Slovenian language requirement changes take effect
According to the Act amending the Foreigners Act, an adult family member (aged between 18 and 60), is required to have at least a survival level of Slovenian language proficiency in order to extend his or her temporary residence permit for the purpose of family reunification. This new requirement took effect on 1 November 2024.
The survival level refers to the ability to communicate in basic Slovenian in everyday life and familiar situations by using basic vocabulary and simple phrases.
The Act entered into force on 16 November 2023, but the Slovenian language requirement has been introduced gradually according to the following timeline:
- Until 30 April 2024, the Slovenian language requirement did not need to be fulfilled.
- 1 May 2024 – 31 October 2024. To renew their temporary residence permits for the purpose of family reunification, applicants had to present a certificate of enrolment in a Slovenian language education programme for adults or a certificate of a successfully completed Slovenian language examination at entry level or higher.
- From 1 November 2024, the survival level of Slovenian is required. Applicants have to present a certificate of a successfully completed Slovenian language examination at survival level.
Adult family members of non-EU nationals who were issued a temporary residence permit for the purpose of family reunification are eligible to attend a free 180-hour Slovenian language course at survival level. They may also be eligible for an additional 60 hours of free language teaching.
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