EIG COVID-19 Update | May 15, 2020

With our mission to uncomplicate the complicated, we’ve always thought of our work in immigration as people-first. Our goal is for these emails to make sense of the changes happening across the world. Please share these updates with your colleagues who may find this information helpful, too.

International Updates

Argentina | To put new hires on local payroll, in-person registration is normally required for the CUIL number process.  EIG was able to work with our partner in the region, CSM Global Services, to develop a strategy in consultation with the ANSES authority in Argentina that granted access to online issuance of temporary CUIL’s so our multinational client’s new hires could onboard and start with the company.
Case Update: 410 new cases, 125 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

Austria | The same border agreement in place with Germany will now apply to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, to fully allow travel beginning June 15.
Case Update: 54 new cases, 18 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

Canada and the US | Canadian and US government officials reported to Reuters that the two countries were likely to extend their non-essential travel ban at the border until June 21. The suspension was supposed to end on May 21.
Canada Case Update: 1,050 new cases, -94 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST
US Case Update: 21,424 new cases, 3,880 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

The Czech Republic | As of May 25, sporting events, restaurants, and bars will reopen, and groups of up to 300 people will be allowed to gather.
Case Update: 48 new cases, 3 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

France | France has said it would impose a reciprocal quarantine policy if Spain decides to impose a 10-day quarantine on travelers from France. A timeline for such a policy has not been announced.
Case Update: 448 new cases, -222 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

Georgia | The government will end the state of emergency on May 22. Georgia has been under a state of emergency since March 21.
Case Update: 10 new cases, 7 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

India | As part of the Vande Bharat mission, Air India is repatriating Indians around the world home to India, and Indians back to their destinations around the world. Passengers must be nationals of the destination, or Indian foreign nationals with a visa valid for at least one year for the destination country, or health workers with a valid permit for travel to the designation country. At boarding, all passengers will be temperature screened.

According to AILA, for the US, they have noted that F-1 students with valid I-20s and OPT work authorization were allowed to board flights. Still, some H-1B workers with valid visas expiring within a week and a few individuals on B visas that were set to expire within a year from the date of travel were not allowed to board.
Case Update: 3,722 new cases, 197 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

Ireland | All Ireland residence permits due to expire from May 20 – July 20 are automatically renewed by the Minister for two months. The renewal is on the same basis as the existing permission, and the same conditions apply.
Case Update: 159 new cases, 52 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

Italy | As Italy continues to ease restrictions, public masses will resume on Monday. At St. Peter’s and other papal basilicas (Vatican City), temperature checks will be required.
Case Update: 888 new cases, -514 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

Japan | Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ended the state of emergency for 39 of the 47 prefectures. The state of emergency continues for Tokyo.
Case Update: 114 new cases, 59 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

Norway | Prime Minister Erna Solberg has said that Norway is likely to maintain its current travel restrictions until August 20. This includes official advice against traveling abroad unless essential, 10-day quarantine for all people returning from abroad, and barring entry to most non-Norwegians without a right to work or residence in Norway.
Case Update: 23 new cases, -6 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

Poland | As Poland continues to ease economic and business restrictions, the deputy education minister has said that schools will remain closed through the end of the academic year (June 26).
Case Update: 283 new cases, -312 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

South Africa | President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the government would move most of the country to “alert level 3” by the end of May.
Case Update: 665 new cases, -59 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

Spain | The government has extended the restriction of non-essential travels from third countries to EU and Schengen countries until June 15, 2020.
Case Update: 661 new cases, 67 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/15, 4:00 PM CEST

In this week’s Erickson Immigration Group Immigration Nerds podcast, we talked to Dan Lyle, an American former rugby union player and current director of AEG Rugby. We talk about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on international sports, and what a win would look like for teams and their fans in the future.

The Immigration Nerds podcast shares stories at the cross-section of immigration news and policy updates, business, culture, travel, developing trends, and, for now, the coronavirus. If you have stories to share, we want to hear from you.

We will continue to send updates daily or as more COVID-19-related news is available. If you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or in past updates or want to hear more about a different topic, just reply to let us know. If you have specific questions, please contact your employer or EIG attorney.