People who wish to obtain a US visa for a short period of time, especially those whose country of residence is not a participant in the USA waiver scheme, are advised to apply for a B1 business visa or submit a B2 travel visa application. A B1 business visa permits a candidate to enter the country for a maximum duration of six months, while a B2 travel visa allows a foreigner to travel to the USA temporarily, for the purpose of tourism or to visit family and friends.

If a person wishes to stay in the country for a longer period of time, for example to live and work, he or she must apply for an L1 visa, H1-B visa or another non-immigrant visa. The US L1 visa application requires a confirmed employment offer from a US company, while the US H1-B visa permits an employer in the USA to recruit foreign employees for specialty jobs, for periods of up to six years.

For anyone intending to live in the USA permanently, some of the routes available are based on family ties, employment and the annual “Green Card Lottery.”

For workers with “exceptional” ability, the employment-based routes for Green Cards via the EB-1 visa and EB-2 visa services will allow them to immigrate to the country.

The EB-3, EB-4 and EB-5 visas are designed to permit qualified individuals to apply for permanent residency in the country through employment opportunities.

A person may also apply for a Green Card if he has a family member living in the USA; this includes siblings, parents, spouse or fiancé. In addition, the annual Green Card lottery aims to allow worthy candidates from under-represented countries to live and work in the USA.

For foreign individuals who are planning to immigrate to South Africa, the country’s immigration services offer temporary residency, as well as permits that allow permanent residency in the country.

South Africa immigration services provide immigration visas for excursions, long-term work, study-based projects and permanent residency.

For temporary purposes, such as tourism and visiting family or friends, a foreign visitor should apply for a South African Visitor Visa. A South African Visitor Visa has a validity of more than three months, allows for a short course of study, but strictly forbids the holder from working in the country.

For foreign individuals who wish to live and work in the country for a specified time period, a South African Work Permit must be obtained.

South African Study Permits have a validity that varies, depending on the duration of the course being undertaken by the international student.

For permanent residency in South Africa, the country’s Spouse Immigration Visa permits first or second degree relatives of permanent residents of the country to migrate, either temporarily or permanently.

For foreign nationals who wish to live in South Africa on a seasonal basis only, the most suitable option is to retire to the country. A South African Retirement Visa has a validity of up to for four years and is renewable for the same duration any number of times.

In the categories of business and working permits, applications for permanent residency in the country may also be possible.

The process for acquiring an Australia visa is undertaken in strict compliance with the rules and guidelines provided by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship. The department closely monitors how many people are granted entry, as well as the skills, qualifications and experience of all applicants. With these rules becoming ever more demanding, it is advisable to apply for your visa as soon as possible.

Australia is in need of skilled workers. In fact, the country is encouraging such people to apply for a visa. The work experience of each applicant is very vital in determining whether the visa would be successful or not. To be more precise, their ability has to be related to a profession that is in demand. A points system, designed to accurately assess a candidate’s suitability is in force. Needless to say, applicants who are the most qualified are preferred and have a relatively easier time in gaining entry.

While difficult to obtain, an Australia visa is very rewarding for any successful applicant. Among those rewards are some of the best beaches, restaurants, swimming spots and destinations such as the Ayer’s Rock and the Great Barrier Reef. Australia is a safe country and with a low crime rate, excellent education system and superb medical care. There are also major international sporting events such as the Australian Open, the Bathurst 1000 and the Australian F1 Grand Prix, which are held every year.

There are two main types of US visa that anyone wishing to travel to the United States can apply for. A non-immigrant visa is for short visits, such as tourism, business and study reasons and an immigrant visa is for those who are looking to move to the country permanently.

US visas were issued to over 6 million foreign nationals last year, for a wide variety of reasons. There are huge economic incentives to travel to America, which is the epicentre of world capitalism. The country also presents the biggest opportunity for work and is a place in which it is possible to live in relative safety.

However, the thing that everyone should not forget about a US visa is that it is entirely a form of permission. The final decision on whether or not you will be granted permanent permission to stay in the United States of America will only be taken at the immigration office through which you try to gain access. The US visa acts simply as a pass card to get you to the point at which you will be subjected to a strict set of regulations, questions and investigations before being admitted.

Applicants for visas have to provide proof of the nature of their visit, the length of their stay and their intent to leave. If a single one of these cannot be proven to the satisfaction of the immigration officer, it is very likely that you will not be granted entry.

Have you ever wanted to live in Australia? Imagine basking along the beautiful coastline at any time while others back home are freezing. You could be graced with friendly people, interesting culture, sports, and more fun than any one person has a right to have.

As with moving to any other country to live, there are immigration laws and rules that must be followed before you can move into a great new house or flat. The immigration bureau for Australia is willing to help and many of the applications, directions and requirements are available online. If you are intimidated by confusing forms or have a lack of knowledge about the process, you may want to hire a service to take care of the work for you.

These companies can assist with visas as well as all the paperwork needed for the newly landed immigrant, allowing you to avoid costly legal fees. There are also options regarding job searches.

As with the obtaining of a visa, the acceptance of an immigration application is based on a test. The test uses a point system, with each area receiving a certain amount of points. For example, if you have worked in Australia previously in a skilled occupation, you could qualify for 60 points. A certain age gains points, as does speaking one of a list of languages.

Oh Canada! What a beautiful country. There are many wide open spaces for the outdoorsman, lots of urban activity for the city dweller, and everything in between. Canada is also one of the cleanest countries in the world and its people are extremely polite. So why don’t more people move there? Actually, they have. Immigrants in Canada are plentiful, averaging about 200,000 per year.

Like many countries, Canada has a migration bureau that administers a test for its immigrants. One thing that is different about Canada is that a non-Canadian will never be considered a resident. The best status a foreigner can have is “landed immigrant”.

Housing in Canada is plentiful. Housing is much cheaper than in the U.K., even in urban areas like Toronto and Ottawa. Many immigrants have stated that they’ve sold their homes in the U.K. and used only a small portion of the proceeds to buy an even better home. The country has socialised medicine and many other programmes similar to what you are used to in the U.K.

Work in Canada is also plentiful. Those with specialised skills are especially in demand and have a very good chance of getting a lucrative post. Good jobs plus a thriving economy create an average salary of about USD$35,000, which makes the economical living even more affordable.

Canada is also a Nirvana for sports fans and outdoor athletes. With teams like the Maple Leafs, Blue Jays, Canadians and the Senators, residents never run out of events to attend. There is also every kind of outdoor sport imaginable.

If one wishes to go to Canada for work purposes, it will be essential to obtain a Canada Work Permit. There are few exceptions to the law. The Canadian government states that those requiring a work permit or visa may not start work until the proper paperwork is completed and accepted.

The definition of “work” in Canada is essentially defined as any position for which the employee will receive remuneration, even if self-employed. There are exceptions where non-paying positions (e.g. interns) may require a work permit.

In order to work in Canada, you must have a solid job offer. One may not go to Canada and begin to search for work. Work permits are attached to a particular employer. If you should change jobs while in Canada, a new permit should be obtained. As a general rule, permits are valid for one year but can be validated for two to three years, depending on the circumstances.

In other words, a job offer must be on the table for someone to apply for a work permit. The work permit application requires details about the offer, including: employee responsibilities, salary, duration of job, location of job, and the title of the job position the applicant has applied for with the Canadian company.

Additional information may be required if the job offer falls into one of several specific categories.

Here is a list of the documents needed to apply for a Canada Work Permit: a valid passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, and evidence of one’s academic and professional credentials. Processing time for the application can take up to 8 weeks.

There are numerous reasons for moving to Canada vs. the U.S.A. or any other country, not the least of which is socialised healthcare, a 22% GDP vs. America’s 52% GDP (Government Debt Percentage), lower unemployment rates, cleaner air, and a relatively high standard of education.

Canada has been mocked for years as the red headed stepchild of North America. The country has been ridiculed for being a socialised European culture on American’s turf, but what most people don’t realize is that while the West has been squandering their resources and burying their citizens in debt and tarnished reputations, Canada has been quietly polishing her decks and raising sail. And while the Titanic-sized fiasco of Western poor management plagues the “great” nations of the past few decades and pulls them under the waves of financial crisis, Canada appears to be sailing on into the horizon with a strong wind at her back.

It’s not just about the scenery, or the amazingly fresh, clean air. Or the quiet, peaceful serenity of the Yukon, the heavily forested slopes of the mountains, or the idyllic lakes surrounded by lush evergreens and vibrant wildlife. Canada is stable. Her economy is rising. And people are flocking to her shores with hopes of becoming part of this quiet giant of a nation that is rising from the rubble like some beacon of hope shining brightly through the gloom that has overtaken most of the world in recent years.

A stable economy, plentiful jobs, amazing scenery, relatively untouched landscapes, and socialised healthcare – what more could you ask for?

A South African spousal visa enables a husband, wife or long- term partner of a South African permanent resident or person in possession of a citizenship migrate to South Africa on the basis of their permanent relationship.

The South African immigration services offer a range of spousal permits for those people who wishing to migrate either permanent or temporary.

Through immigration, a South African spousal visa of this kind is assessed purely upon the marital status or the duration of their relationship and this permit does not require any letter of employment in order to join their partners or spouses. Candidates that are successful in getting a South African spousal visa can apply for temporary or permanent residence permits that will allow them to be able to work and live in South Africa and undertake employment they wish.

A marriage certificate is required in cases where the married applicant wishes to immigrate to South Africa through this route on a temporary permit.

 Life relationship will also need to be supported by documentary evidence of mutual financial arrangements like loans, bank accounts, utility bills and co-habitation. People who wish to apply for life-partner immigration or spouse immigration as a permanent option must have been in a life relationship or married to the sponsoring South African permanent resident or citizen for a period of around one year. Permanent settling in South Africa will result in most cases where one person applied for a South African spousal visa through the temporary or permanent route.

A five-year South African spousal visa will no longer be provisional on the continuous existence of a relationship and it cannot be withdrawn in case of relationship or marital status change.

On 30 June 2008, H.S.M.P. was replaced all over the world by the Tier 1 H.S.M.P. Visa, which is part of the UK Points-Based System. H.S.M.P. is a very popular points-based visa that allows all the independent immigration to the UK for highly skilled migrant workers. On 29 February 2008, the new Points-Based System commenced with the introduction of the Tier 1 General Highly Skilled Visa, which replaced H.S.M.P.

The Highly Skilled Migrant Program has free assessment that was updated on 7 November 2006. It is now found online, using the first HSMP points calculator to be published under the current HSMP rules. For all those who want a qualified consultant to assess their application, one can simply upload their CV at the end of the whole process and it will fully assess one’s chance of approval, which can also be used for extension applications.

H.S.M.P. visa points are assessed through different ways, such as an interview. One can confidently interview with potential employers, knowing that they already has the right to work. Being an MBA graduate provides one full qualifying point toward an HSMP application. This was introduced in 12 April 2005. The MBA is enough to give one approval through the new HSMP scheme announced on 7 November 2006. The ILPA work permits (UK) approved only 44% of the applications in January 2005. 

The work permits (UK) H.S.M.P. criteria were significantly changed on 7 November 2006. They stated that the Highly Skilled Migrant Program qualifying points were increased to 75 points. During the application, a wider range of points were made available for the applicant age at the time.

According to one’s level of education, past earnings, and UK experience, more points were made available. For those who had the English language ability to at least IELTS level 6, this was added an important requirement. All the available points for work experience, senior or any specialist experience, significant achievements, and spouse were removed.

As time passed by, significant changes were made to the H.S.M.P. Extension process. The application process for H.S.M.P. must not meet the same criteria as those of the new H.S.M.P. applications. One can assess his or her H.S.M.P. Extension by using the new points calculation.