What’s new in global immigration?

This week, the Global Immigration team at Smith Stone Walters would like to highlight the following recent updates from Canada, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and the United States.

Canada: New measures to support construction industry

On 7 March 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the government’s intent to introduce a number of new measures to support Canada’s construction industry. These measures are within the scope of the 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan. They include the convening of a tripartite advisory council to assess needs in the industry and advise on new pathways to bring in the required skilled workers needed, a regularization pathway for out-of-status construction workers, and support for foreign apprentices.

The government intends to immediately convene a tripartite advisory council comprised of federal government and union representatives, and industry leaders. This advisory council will work to identify on‑the‑ground labour needs and advise on the parameters for potential pathways that would bring in and retain the construction workers required for the long term, with robust protections against abuse and a strong wage threshold.

In an effort to build on the success of initiatives such as the out-of-status construction workers in the Greater Toronto Area pilot, IRCC intends to create a pathway that would offer opportunities in the construction sector for undocumented migrants already in Canada.

Finally, to support foreign apprentices in construction programs and to address the current labour market needs in the construction sector, IRCC are also introducing a temporary measure to allow foreign apprentices to complete their studies without a study permit, effective 7 March 2025. By removing this administrative barrier, apprentices will be able to gain the skills they need to contribute to infrastructure projects more quickly.

Canada: Update on 2025 Parents and Grandparents Program

In 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) intends to accept up to 10,000 complete applications for sponsorship under the Parents and Grandparents (PGP) Program.

Given there remains a number of interest to sponsor forms in the pool from 2020, IRCC plans to send invitations to apply to randomly selected potential sponsors from that pool instead of accepting new forms. This is the same approach taken for the intakes conducted from 2020 to 2024.

As of February 5, 2025, processing times for PGP Program applications were approximately 24 months for those destined outside Quebec. They are 48 months for Quebec-destined applicants due to the province’s more limited family class admission targets.

To minimize wait times for clients, IRCC strives to strike a balance between the number of PGP Program applications received with the number of PGP Program spaces available through the Immigration Levels Plan in future years. Changes to the levels plan, such as the overall reductions to our immigration targets in the 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan, require IRCC to recalibrate the number of new applications that are accepted for processing.

IRCC understands this approach will have an impact on the families who have not had an opportunity to submit an interest to sponsor form. For those interested in reuniting with their parents and grandparents for extended periods of time, the super visa remains available. This allows parents and grandparents to visit their children or grandchildren for 5 years at a time and provides multiple entries to Canada for up to 10 years. IRCC recently made the super visa more accessible by implementing a change to the health insurance requirement.

More details about the 2025 PGP Program intake will be made available in the coming months, including information about when the invitations to apply will be sent.

Canada: Quebec extends suspension of acceptance of certain LMIA applications

The Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration is renewing until 30 November 2025 the measure that suspends the receipt of certain applications for Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TETP).

The suspension concerns LMIA applications for jobs in the administrative regions of Montreal and now also Laval, whose hourly wage offered is below the new threshold used by the federal government to distinguish low-wage positions from high-wage positions in Quebec, currently CAD 32.96.

This measure is aimed at:

• Applications submitted under simplified processing;
• Applications submitted for the renewal of work permits for temporary foreign workers already employed.

The exemptions originally provided for certain strategic and essential sectors (agriculture, construction, food processing, education, health and social services) are maintained.

This measure responds to the government’s direction to curb the increase in the number of non-permanent residents in Quebec in a context of tightening access to the labour market, in addition to promoting the recruitment of workers already present in Quebec.

Ireland: Measures to support home care and planning sectors

The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has announced changes to the employment permits system to address skills shortages in Ireland’s planning and home care sectors. The changes will come into effect on 10 March 2025.

• The quota for home carers will be increased by 1000 general employment permits.
• Town planners have been added to the Critical Skills Occupations List.

For the purposes of the employment permits system, occupations fall into three categories:

• Occupations listed on the Critical Skills Occupations List are highly skilled professional roles that are in high demand and are not always available in the resident labour force. Occupations on this list are eligible for a Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) and include roles such as medicine, ICT, sciences, finance, and business.
• Ineligible occupations are those with evidence suggesting there are sufficient Irish/EEA workers to fill such vacancies. Employment permits are not granted for these occupations.
• Every other job in the labour market, where an employer cannot find a worker, is eligible for an employment permit. For these occupations, the employer is required to undertake a Labour Market Needs Test and if no-one suitable applies for the job, the employer is free to apply for an employment permit. Occupations such as these may be skills of a more general nature and are eligible for a General Employment Permit (GEP).

Ireland: Visa requirement for nationals of Eswatini, Lesotho and Nauru

With effect from 10 March 2025, nationals of Eswatini, Lesotho and Nauru are required to obtain a visa before travelling to Ireland. A transit visa will also be required, if intending to transit through Ireland en route to another destination.

Nationals of these countries who made travel plans before 10 March 2025 and can provide evidence of a valid booking and payment for the trip, may be accommodated for emergency travel in the following situations where the scheduled travel is on or before 31 March 2025:

• A critical medical case involving a family member being seriously ill or undergoing medical treatment. Evidence from the relevant medical institution must be provided.
• Visiting for a significant family event – a birth, wedding, or funeral. Suitable evidence must be provided.
• Taking up a place obtained in a third-level institution on an undergraduate or post-graduate degree course. Evidence must be provided from the relevant institution.
• Taking up employment and holding an Employment Permit for Ireland. Evidence of the permit issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment must be provided.
• Travelling for business. Confirmation of the arrangements for the visit from the business in question must be provided.

Persons falling within the above categories are asked to email becomingvisarequired@justice.ie with the subject line “Visa Required – Emergency Travel Requested”.

Japan: Start dates for pre-entry tuberculosis screening

Pre-Entry TB screening (JPETS) is to be introduced, initially for nationals of Nepal, the Philippines and Vietnam, who intend to enter Japan for medium-term or long-term stays, to ensure that they do not have active TB before traveling to Japan.  A dedicated website has now been launched.

For nationals of the Nepal and the Philippines, the TB testing requirement is scheduled to begin on 24 March 2025, and the TB clearance certificate is required for Certificate of Eligibility applications from 23 June 2025.

For Vietnamese nationals, testing is due to commence on 26 May 2025, with the certificate requirement taking effect from 1 September 2025.

The implementation timeline for China, Indonesia and Myanmar is yet to be announced.

Kazakhstan: Three new visa options for skilled professionals and digital nomads

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched three new visa categories designed to attract skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, and remote workers.

The Neo Nomad Visa (B12-1), the Digital Nomad Visa (B9-1) and the Visa for Permanent Residence (B9) aim to provide flexible pathways for those seeking long-term opportunities in Kazakhstan, for career growth, business expansion, or remote work.

Neo Nomad Visa (B12-1):

The Neo Nomad Visa (B12-1) is specifically designed for professionals and digital entrepreneurs who want to live in Kazakhstan and work remotely while maintaining their foreign income.

• The Neo Nomad Visa is a multiple-entry visa valid for up to one year.
• Visa holders can extend their stay for up to an additional year within Kazakhstan.
• Family members and dependents can obtain a visa for the same duration, though work and religious activities are restricted under Kazakh law.

Digital Nomad Visa (B9-1):

The Digital Nomad Visa (B9-1) is intended for highly sought-after professionals in the IT industry who are relocating to Kazakhstan to obtain permanent residence.

• A single-entry electronic visa is available via the Visa and Migration Portal, valid for up to one year.
• A multiple-entry paper visa, also valid for up to one year, can be obtained through the Ministry of Internal Affairs on a basis of single entry electronic B9-1 visa.

The Digital Nomad Visa allows professionals to settle in Kazakhstan while completing the permanent residence application process. A petition from Astana Hub or an authorised body in Kazakhstan’s IT sector is required to obtain the Digital Nomad Visa.  

Visa for Permanent Residence (B9):

The B9 visa provides a structured pathway for foreign professionals with in-demand skills in fields such as medicine, science, innovation, education, and the creative industries, enabling them to establish a long-term presence in Kazakhstan.

• Kazakh diplomatic missions issue:
  • Single-entry visas valid for up to 90 days.
  • Multiple-entry visas up to 90 days, issued once per year.

Once in Kazakhstan, professionals can transition to permanent residency.

Singapore: Measures to increase flexibility of work permit system

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has announced several measures aimed at supporting growth:

• There will be no change to the Employment P{ass (EP) qualifying salary for now. A previously-announced increase took effect from 1 January 2025 for new applications and is effective from 1 January 2026 for renewal applications
• The S Pass minimum qualifying salary  will be increased from SGD 3150 to SGD 3300.  The qualifying salary will continue to increase progressively with age up to SGD 4800 for a candidate in their mid-40s. The Financial Services sector will continue to have a higher S Pass qualifying salary – this will increase from SGD 3650 to SGD 3800 (SGD 5650 for a candidate in their mid-40s). 
• The S Pass levy rate will be standardised at SGD 650 for all S Pass holders from 1 September 2025.
• MOM will lift the maximum Period of Employment (POE) and peg the maximum employment age for existing Work Permit holders to the local retirement age, i.e., 63 years old. MOM will also streamline the age limit for new Work Permit applications, pegging it to two years below the local retirement age, i.e. 61 years old. These changes will be implemented from 1 July 2025.
• The Non-Traditional Sources (NTS) List will be expanded to include Bhutan, Cambodia and Laos from 1 June 2025. Currently, the NTS countries are Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
• MOM will include (i) cooks, (ii) heavy vehicle drivers and (iii) manufacturing operator roles from 1 September 2025 on the NTS Occupation List, which enables firms in the Services and Manufacturing sectors to retain and hire higher-skilled NTS non-PMET (Professional, Managers, Executives and Technicians) workers, such as those affected by the increase in the S Pass qualifying salary
• Firms who wish to hire NTS Work Permit holders on the NTS Occupation List will continue to be subjected to the following controls:
  • 8% NTS sub-Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC) to guard against over-reliance on NTS workers and ensure employers diversify their workforce; and
  • Fixed Monthly Salary of at least SGD 2000 for the Work Permit holder employed under the NTS Occupation List.

South Africa: New digital business visa recommendation application process

The Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (the DTIC) has launched the Business Visa Recommendation System (VRS), an online platform for business visa recommendation applications—for all foreign business owners applying for first, extension and or permanent residence recommendations.

• Applicants can now submit digital recommendation applications for first-time, extension and permanent business visas for first, extension and permanent.
• The required supporting documents can be uploaded directly to the system.
• Applicants can monitor the progress of their applications.
• Updates and final recommendations will be communicated digitally through the system.

Switzerland: New online notification system for short-term work

The State Secretariat for Migration has launched a new system for notifications of short-term work.  The current application for reporting short-term work in Switzerland will no longer be available as of March 14, 2025. Starting March 17, 2025, users can submit notifications exclusively through EasyGov.swiss. There are fundamentally no changes to the notification process or the information requested. 

Background:

The Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP) between Switzerland and the EU is aimed at liberalising the cross-border provision of services (posted workers or self-employed service providers) for up to 90 effective working days per calendar year. All that is required is prior submission of a notification form. The 90 working days per calendar year rule are calculated both for the company posting workers and for the posted worker.

For services to be rendered beyond this 90-day threshold, a work permit is required.

The online notification procedure also applies to companies based in Switzerland that would like to employ foreign workers for periods of up to three months. All that is required is submission of a notification form. If the intention is to employ a worker for longer than three months, then this person must request a Swiss residence permit or must satisfy the requirements for issuance of a cross-border commuter permit.

Each assignment carried out in Switzerland must be entered into the system at least eight days prior to commencement of work. For foreign workers taking up short-term employment with a company based in Switzerland (work contracts of up to three months in duration), the notification form must be submitted no later than one day prior to the first day of work.

The competent cantonal authorities in the location where the worker is posted or where the services are to be rendered in Switzerland will process the notification form.

The activity of posted workers and self-employed service providers is subject to a notification requirement if the work in Switzerland exceeds eight days within a given calendar year. In the following sectors, the activity is always subject to a notification requirement from the first day onwards regardless of the duration of work:

• Construction and secondary contract work
• Gardening and landscaping
• Hotel, restaurant and catering
• Cleaning in companies and households
• Monitoring and security services
• Itinerant trade (exceptions: trade fairs and circuses)
• Sex industry.

United States: Interim Final Rule implements new Alien Registration Requirement

On 12 March 2025, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) implementing the Alien Registration Requirement announced in February, in response to the president’s Executive Order 14159. The IFR will take effect on 11 April 2025.

• All foreign nationals 14 years of age or older who were not registered and fingerprinted (if required) when applying for a US visa and who remain in the United States for 30 days or longer, must apply for registration and fingerprinting.
• Parents and legal guardians of foreign nationals below the age of 14 must ensure that those foreign nationals are registered.
• Within 30 days of reaching his or her 14th birthday, all previously registered foreign nationals must apply for re-registration and to be fingerprinted.

Many foreign nationals in the United States have already registered, as required by law. However, a significant number of foreign nationals present in the United States have had no direct way to register and meet their obligation under INA 262. USCIS has established a new form, G-325R, Biometric Information (Registration), and an online process by which unregistered foreign nationals may register and comply with the law as required by the INA. 

Submission of the registration in myUSCIS (currently free of charge) initiates the process for the foreign national’s Biometrics Services Appointment at a USCIS Application Support Centre (ASC). USCIS contacts the registrant regarding the biometrics services appointment and the collection of biometrics, including fingerprints, photograph and signature.

Once a foreign national successfully completes his or her biometrics appointment at an ASC, the ELIS case management systems will trigger the creation of “Proof of Alien Registration” with a unique identifier printed on the document.

For those foreign nationals, such as Canadian nonimmigrants and those under the age of 14, required to register but for whom the fingerprint requirement is waived, the ELIS case management system will trigger the creation of the “Proof of Alien Registration” upon receipt of Form G-325R. This Proof of Alien Registration document will then be posted to the foreign national’s myUSCIS account. This can be downloaded and printed. 

Once a foreign national has registered and appeared for fingerprinting (unless waived), DHS will issue evidence of registration, which foreign nationals over the age of 18 must carry and keep in their personal possession at all times.

DHS has requested public comment on the option of adding a biometric services fee per registrant of USD 30.

Registration is not an immigration status, and registration documentation does not create an immigration status, establish employment authorization, or provide any other right or benefit under the INA or any other US law.

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