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, Hong Kong, Norway and Switzerland.

Canada: Changes to open work permits for family members of temporary residents

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has provided details of upcoming changes to open work permit  (OWP) eligibility for family members of international students and foreign workers, as part of the broader measures announced in September 2024.

Effective 21 January 2025, only spouses of certain international students and foreign workers will be able to apply for a family OWP.

Family OWPs will be limited to spouses of international students who are enrolled in:

• master’s programs that are 16 months or longer
• doctoral programs, or
• select professional and eligible programs.

Family OWPs will also be limited to spouses of foreign workers who are employed in:

• TEER 0 or 1 occupations, or
• select TEER 2 or 3 occupations in sectors with labour shortages or linked to government priorities
  • These include occupations in the natural and applied sciences, construction, health care, natural resources, education, sports and military sectors. The full list will be available on 21 January 2025.

In addition, the foreign worker must also have at least 16 months remaining on their work permit at the time when their spouse applies for the OWP. Dependent children of foreign workers will no longer be eligible.

OWPs that were approved under the previous measures and have not expired will remain valid. In situations where students may need more time to complete their program or where family members received a shorter work permit than the principal applicant, in-Canada family members (including spouses and dependent children) can apply to renew their work permit as long as:

• they are applying under the same criteria as the current work permit, and
• the requested duration of the renewal matches that of the existing study or work permit of the principal applicant.

Spouses of workers covered by free-trade agreements and those transitioning to permanent residence will not be impacted by these changes. Family members who will no longer qualify for a family OWP can apply for any type of work permit they are eligible for under Canada’s work permit programs.

Hong Kong: Visit visa rules relaxed

Effective 15 January 2025, the visa-free period for nationals of Saudi Arabia to visit the Hong Kong SAR is extended to 90 days.

Also from 15 January 2025, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders can apply for a tourist visa upon arrival through six designated control points in Saudi Arabia.

The tourist visa can be either a single-entry visa for a maximum stay of 30 days, or a multiple-entry visa for a maximum stay of 90 days.

Hong Kong SAR passport holders may also apply for an eVisa to visit Saudi Arabia prior to their visit

Hong Kong: Expanded online visa applications

Effective 17 January 2025, the Immigration Department (ImmD) has adjusted the application submission procedure of the following admission policies/schemes:

• General Employment Policy (including both employment and investment as entrepreneurs);
• Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals;
• Capital Investment Entrant Scheme;
• Training;
• Working Holiday Scheme; and
• Residence as Dependants.

Applicants for the aforementioned admission schemes must submit their applications for visas, entry permits and extensions of stay online from that date. The ImmD will no longer accept such applications submitted in person, or by post or drop-in-box. The eligibility and approval criteria for the relevant policies/schemes remain unchanged. After submitting the applications, applicants can also upload supplementary documents and/or inquire as to the status of applications online if necessary.
 
Electronic services for a visa application allow applicants to complete the entire process of an application submission, payment and collection of an “e-Visa” through the ImmD mobile application, the ImmD’s website (www.immd.gov.hk/eng/index.html) or the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/en/nonresidents/), without having to visit an Immigration Office in person.

Norway: Changed income requirement in family immigration cases

Effective 1 February 2025, the income requirement for the reference person in family immigration cases increases from 2.7 basic amounts (G) to 3.2 G. 

The change will apply to those who register an application for family immigration and pay the fee as of 1 February 2025.

The amounts are adjusted annually with a changed basic amount (G). The income requirement for future income is adjusted in May, and the income requirement for last year is adjusted in January.

For those who register their application for family immigration and pay the fee on or after 1 February 2025, the income requirement is:

• Future income: 396,890 NOK
• Income last year: 2.7 average G if the application is processed before 1 February 2026, and 3.2 average G if the application is processed on or after 1 February 2026.

Those who registered their family immigration application and paid the fee before 1 February 2025, the income requirement is unchanged:

• Future income: 334,876 NOK
• Income last year: 330,008 NOK.

The income requirement for those who have an income requirement upon renewal is still 334,876 NOK for future income and 330,008 NOK for income last year, if they applied for the first family immigration application before 1 February 2025.

If the reference person receives a retirement pension or disability benefits, there are no changes.

Switzerland: Permanent visa requirement for Vanuatu nationals

Effective 4 February 2025, citizens of Vanuatu will no longer be able to enter the Schengen area (which includes Switzerland) without a visa. According to the EU, citizenship programmes in Vanuatu pose a security risk to Schengen Member States. The Federal Council adopted this amendment to the Schengen acquis at its meeting on 15 January.

An agreement between the EU and the Republic of Vanuatu has been in force since May 2015, exempting Vanuatu nationals from the short-stay visa requirement to enter the Schengen area. Since then, there has been a sharp increase in the number of passports issued by Vanuatu to foreigners who invest in the country. The EU believes that these citizenship programmes allow people to circumvent the visa procedure, and that they pose a risk to the internal security and public order of the Schengen States, as the Vanuatu authorities do not carry out the necessary checks on people seeking citizenship.

For the reason stated above, the EU has already suspended the visa exemption for holders of Vanuatu passports issued after 2015. It will now extend this to include all Vanuatu citizens. Although Vanuatu has since adopted a number of legislative amendments, it has not remedied the shortcomings identified. The EU has therefore decided to reintroduce a permanent visa requirement for nationals of Vanuatu from February 2025. As part of its association with Schengen, Switzerland will adopt this regulation and amend its Ordinance on Entry and the Granting of Visas (EGVO) accordingly.

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If you would like to find out more about the enhanced level of global immigration services now available to your business, please contact us today.