US Gov’t Aware of Visa Delays; Canada’s Immigration Backlog Shrinks Further

The White House confirmed that the Biden administration has acknowledged the lengthy delays in visa appointments in India and is working to address the “significant demand for these visa services.” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also mentioned that visa processing is recovering faster than projected and is expected to reach pre-pandemic processing levels this year.

The most recent figures from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) revealed that Canada’s immigration backlog decreased from last month’s 2.4 million to just over 2.2 million. Since there were 1.5 million applications pending as of September 30th, the IRCC successfully processed over 350,000 of those applications.

According to the new UK regulations, international students without a degree-level qualification can obtain a job from a company recognized by the UK Home Office and then transition to a skilled worker visa. While the process is completely legal, experts are worried that the changes to the requirements for the UK’s skilled worker visa would have a significant impact on international students entering the country, particularly Indians.

In an interview with the Free Press Journal, Irish Consul General in Mumbai Anita Kelly talked about the opportunities for Indian students, the accommodation crisis, and student visas, among other things. One of the highlights of the interview was about Indian students being able to avail of Ireland’s stay-back visa schemes in key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, ICT, and financial services.

Some predictions say 2023 could see record numbers of international students in Australia. The forecasts come following reports that overseas students are flooding back to the country’s universities. Part of the plan of the Albanese government to boost skills in Australia is to try and guarantee more students stay longer after graduation and be part of the workforce.

New Zealand Immigration Minister Michael Wood has said that even though students cannot expect to become automatic residents after they complete their education, they can exercise their rights to job access. He added that his government recognizes how important the export education sector is as well as the value brought by international students. The emphasis though will be on quality instead of quantity.

The United States has effectively reversed a pandemic-fueled decline in student enrolment and remains the world’s leading host destination for international students, accepting 15% of the global total in 2021–22, according to the IIE’s annual ‘Open Doors’ report. It also shows a 3.8% increase to 948,519 international students enrolled in US institutions.

In increasing the effort to make Western Australia a “preferred study destination,” the Minister for International Education and Training announced that a total of $1 million is projected for a program called the “International Education Familiarisation Program.” This aims for education providers across Western Australia to be given eligibility to apply for up to $50,000 in grant funding.

Amid controversial statements by the home secretary, a report by the Migration Advisory Committee stated that international students contribute substantially to local economies. After Brexit, the number of European Union (EU) students dropped while applicants coming from outside the EU rose.

Several COVID-related visa changes have been made in Australia. First of all, student visa work-hour restrictions have been temporarily lifted. Secondly, requirements for health examinations have also been relaxed for temporary visa applicants. Meanwhile, skilled visas in the health and education sectors are being prioritized. Aside from these, there are four more visa changes to consider.

A large proportion of international students stay and work in Denmark for years after they graduate. An analysis conducted by the Damvad Analytics reveals that 50% of international graduates are still in the country, contributing 3.2 million Danish Krone to Denmark’s economy. 

The current inflation is a challenge for international students from India. The unprecedented exchange rate fluctuation is increasing the costs of studying abroad. However, there are multiple ways students can reduce the expense of overseas education. One of which is to carefully choose a fixed-rate loan. 

St. Lawrence College (SLC) is a College of Applied Arts and Technology institution. It offers more than 100 full-time programs with modern, expansive facilities on three southeastern Ontario campuses in Kingston, Brockville, and Cornwall. SLC is proud to offer world-class education with the advantages of small-town living and personal attention to detail. After more than 50 years in existence, the College continues to evolve and meet the needs of the students seeking the skill that will lead to a better quality of life. 

The MS Accountancy program is geared toward knowledge-seeking learners who aspire to develop the special skills required to pursue a career in the accounting field. This  field is dynamically changing, driven by a variety of factors. Expertise in this can provide the foundation for students to become CPAs in public accounting firms, pursue a career in corporate management accounting, work in government or not-for-profit sectors, or even succeed as entrepreneurs.