Pro-Link GLOBAL Immigration Dispatch: Canada, Mozambique and Thailand

Thailand: Visa overstays can now result in re-entry bans for up to ten years

In November 2015, a ban order was signed for the strict enforcement against foreign nationals overstaying the expiration date on their stay permits. The enforcement of these new regulations went into effect on March 20, 2016. While there had long been speculation regarding when these bans would be implemented, the impending expectation of the law’s passage has already resulted in a large reduction in visa overstays.

Visitors who overstay face the following bans, all beginning from their departure date:

• Overstays of more than 90 days past visa expiration date – foreign national cannot re-enter the country for 1 year
• Overstays of more than 1 year past visa expiration date – foreign national cannot re-enter the country for 3 years
• Overstays of more than 3 years past visa expiration date – foreign national cannot re-enter the country for 5 years
• Overstays of more than 5 years past visa expiration date – foreign nationals cannot re-enter the country for 10 years, as of their departure date

Note that the bans for foreign nationals who have been arrested or will be prosecuted for a crime and who have overstayed their visas are more severe: overstays of one year or less will be banned for five years and overstays of more than one year will be banned for ten years (both as of actual departure date from Thailand).

Decreasing crime is a major motivator for enforcing the stay permit expiration date. According to Immigration Bureau Chief, Nathathorn Prousoontorn, there seems to be a correlation between some who overstay and crime.

Canada: Several changes and updates announced

Canadian authorities provided several announcements and updates recently:
Mobilité Francophone Immigration Stream Reintroduced

Canadian authorities have announced their intention to reintroduce an LMIA-exempt work permit stream for foreign nationals from French-speaking countries. Applicants must hold managerial, professional, or technical/skilled trade occupations and intend to work outside of Quebec in order to be eligible for the stream. Dubbed the “Mobilité Francophone” stream, the new work permit option is intended to increase French-speaking immigration throughout Canada.

Express Entry Draw Continues

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has conducted the 30th Express Entry Draw recently with qualifying scores remaining relatively low at 470. Express Entry allows for skilled foreign nationals (both with and without a valid job offer in Canada) a chance to apply for permanent residence in Canada. The program has continually seen positive changes and expansion since its inception in January 2015.

Warning: Scammers Posing as Canadian Immigration Authorities

Multiple reports of scammers posing as Canadian immigration officials have surfaced. This type of scam – which is unfortunately seen periodically around the world – involves scammers contacting foreign nationals on the telephone and claiming that the individual failed to provide sufficient documentation when they entered Canada. Threatening deportation, the callers then request personal information and payment from the foreign national.

Foreign nationals in Canada and their employers should note that Canadian immigration authorities will never contact them via telephone for personal information or payment of any type of fines. If contacted in this manner, foreign nationals shouldnot provide the information or payment, hang up immediately, and contact local law enforcement.

Mozambique: Employers can now register all employees, annually, online

The Ministerial Order (no. 104/2015), dated November 27, 2015, permits employers to post their annual list of foreign national/national employees through a new online The Department of Labour, Employment and Social Security oversees the online process. Previously, employers were only able to submit their reports via paper submission. The Nominal Relation Spreadsheet is due by April 30 of each year.

Reminders: Recent and upcoming immigration implementations

The following are reminders of recent or upcoming implementation dates that you should know:

April 6, 2016: The United Kingdom will extend its mandatory Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) to citizens of Australia and New Zealand. The IHS was first introduced in April 2015 and is required from most work and study visa applicants whose stay in the UK will be longer than six (6) months. Australia and New Zealand were originally exempt from paying this surcharge.

For more information about  Immigration programs, please visit the company’s site at http://www.immigrationexperts.pk
Contact :

Immigration Experts
Tel: +92 308 5857777
E-mail: wecare@immigrationexperts.pk