HIGHLIGHTS

• UPDATE: United Kingdom Votes to Leave the European Union
• Canada Releases Immigration Priorities for 2016/2017
• Israeli Work Permit Unit Imposes Stricter Regulations
  

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UPDATE: United Kingdom Votes to Leave the European Union

As an update to a previous article, the United Kingdom voted to sever ties with the European Union (EU) yesterday through a referendum voted on by UK nationals, both living in the UK and abroad. The movement, popularly referred to as Brexit, was mainly led by the Leave campaign. The campaign had a marginal victory, winning 52 percent to 48 percent; where approximately 17.4 million people voted to leave the EU and about 16.1 million voted to remain.

This historical vote is expected to collaterally affect global financial markets as well as economic and political integration. The UK exit from the EU is also expected to affect global labor mobility if new restrictions on the movement of UK nationals and nationals of EU member states arise. However, nationals of EU member states, currently working and living in the UK, and UK nationals, currently living and working in an EU member state, should not be concerned about the loss of status or work authorization at this time. The UK has up to two years (more if approved by the EU) to negotiate the terms of the exit and, during this period, the UK will remain a part of the EU. Thus, free movement will not be affected at this time. EIG will continue to monitor policy changes as they develop and will keep you informed of any immigration developments as they become available.

Canada Releases Immigration Priorities for 2016/2017

Canada’s Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), led by The Honorable John McCallum, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, recently released its 2016-2017 Report outlining the IRCC’s key immigration priorities. Central to the Report is the announcement that Canada will allocate a significant portion of its annual immigration budget to newcomer settlement and family reunification programs. Other key priorities outlined in the report include:

• Moving towards eliminating a visa requirement for Mexican nationals and studying the implications of phasing out visa requirements for other countries;
• Examining the performance of Canada’s Express Entry application management system introduced in 2015;
• Reducing application processing times for all visas;
• Facilitating the temporary entry of low-risk travelers and business visitors;
• Increasing the age of dependents to 22 from 19; and
• Removing the $1000 Labor Market Impact Assessment application fee for families seeking to hire caregivers for family members with physical or mental disabilities.

For additional information please see the Report.

Israeli Work Permit Unit Imposes Stricter Regulations

The Israeli Work Permit Unit (WPU) of the Ministry of Interior recently imposed stricter regulations for obtaining work permits and visas for foreign workers. The new regulations will also impact pending work permit applications. Specifically, some changes will be made to the Non-Academic work permit applications. Applicants for a Non-Academic work permit will now be required to be submit the relevant employee-specific affidavit, A-2 Form. Non-Academic work permits are for experts whose offered positions do not have academic requirements.

Additionally, the WPU can require the additional documents prior to adjudicating a work permit application such as evidence of a bank guarantee deposit of 36,000 NIS per employee, with a salary to be paid to an Israeli bank account in the name of the expat, and an employment contract that complies with the law and is confirmed by an Israeli attorney. An employee may also be required to submit an affidavit signed by the employee in his home country in front of the Israeli Consul and apostilled, as well as an affidavit signed by the company.

Finally, effective immediately for all work permit extensions, WPU will require a letter from an Israeli accountant who has reviewed the applicant’s salary for the past 12 months of employment.

Sponsoring companies should initiate work applications at least five months in advance and ensure that they are able to furnish the additional documents warranted by the new regulations. EIG will continue to monitor these requirements as they are implemented.