UK revises rules for Workers and Students (Posted on
August 20, 2009)
The UK Border Agency has recently announced changes to the points-based system, and has revised its guidance for employers and education providers who sponsor migrant workers and students.
They have made these changes in response to concerns that the applicants have raised, and to ensure that the points-based system continues to facilitate the trade and travel that benefits the
United Kingdom while also ensuring that the immigration system is not open to abuse.
The changes to the system include:
* creating an escalation route for university vice-chancellors and academic registrars through the use of a dedicated mailbox for urgent incidents requiring immediate attention, with a guaranteed response within 72 hours; and
* modified rules on students' maintenance requirements.
Additionally, they are:
* developing new guidance for 'milkround' recruitment campaigns, to provide a truer test of the resident labour market whilst meeting the needs of businesses;
* outlining their plans to develop their IT system, making it even easier for customers and sponsors to use;
* looking at developing a new employer-led route for interns, to sit alongside and complement their existing Government Authorised Exchange scheme; and
* making a number of changes to their guidance for points-based system sponsors.
Bank of
Canada says RECESSION IS OVER (Posted on
Aug 12, 2009)
.Chief of Bank of Canada (Governor Mark Carney) told reporters "We are on track for the recovery both in
Canada and globally,".
However, unemployment will continue to rise, he said.
For many Canadians, "it's not a recovery until they start getting their jobs back. And on that score, we could still be in for a long wait," Avery Shenfeld, CIBC economist, said in a report published Thursday.
"Don't break out the champagne yet," said Patricia Croft, chief economist of RBC Global Asset Management.
The return to growth after three quarters of decline signals the end of the recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of shrinkage.
Growth will accelerate through late 2009 and by the first half of 2010, the Canadian economy will be booming along with four per cent growth. But that will begin to taper off to less than three per cent by the last half of 2011, the bank said.
