Immigration is a life altering decision which involves an investment of an entire lifetime worth of savings. So, it is important to think at least ten times before taking the plunge. Be it any developed nation such as the United States, United Kingdom or Canada, a strategy has to be formed keeping all the loopholes and the Plan Bs ready. Research and answering all your questions is the key to have a successful immigration. The research never goes waste…if you do not believe it now; time would surely prove it to you. How to go about the process effectively and what to do – all depends on your initial research. So, your first goal should be to have an objective to immigrate. And you should be very clear about it.

So, how would you go about this objective? In other words, why do you want to immigrate? The reasons can be many based on your purpose. Some such instances include:

• I want to pursue my higher studies at a subsidized fee in the United States.
• I would like to invest in the US economy and start a business.
• I am looking forward to better work and life opportunities in Canada. So, I want to immigrate to Canada.
• My company wants me to go to the UK and set up a new office but doing so is better if I am an immigrant and a permanent resident. That gives me much leverage with financial institutions and local business community.
• My husband is a citizen of Australia and so, I would want to immigrate to live with him.
• Quality of life issues such as law and order problems, pollution and corruption are important and therefore, I must migrate to a place where systems work and people can live honorably and without fear.
• I am concerned about the future of my children

The above are few of the many reasons as to why people would want to immigrate to a developed nation. After knowing the reasons behind your immigration plan, the next step is how to go about it. For this, get informed about the kind of visa that is required and whether you are eligible for it or not, how to apply for it, the documents required, the fee that has to be paid, the various procedures that have to be followed and so on.

During the above process, it is essential that you do not get confused. To avoid this, it is best to hire a registered immigration consultant who would be able to guide you through the process. This would help clear the road map further.

It has to be noted that successful immigrants in various nations have always had clear plans which has led to the accomplishment of their goals. Thus, even a consultant would be of help only if you know what you want. Good Luck!

With immigration cap being set in by the UK government for immigrants coming from the non-EU nations, another turn of events has taken place now. This time, it’s the cut on Aussies walking into Britain. This has come about after a release which stated new figures projecting an increase in the total immigration to UK.

Prior to elections, a promise was made by the Conservative Party a few months back there would be a cap on the total immigration and would be brought down to less than 100,000 in a single year. This would be done by lowering the total number of economic immigrants from nations such as Australia and so on which are not a part of the European Union.

However, the recent figures projected that the net immigration saw a rise when compared to last year. There was an increase from 163,000 to 196,000 which clearly shows that there would soon be a steep cut in immigration.

Already, the government of David Cameron has implemented an interim cut of 5% on the total number of skilled migrants who are being granted a visa. These include those people who are not the citizens of the European Union nations. At the same time, the employers are being consulted with regarding how to go about implementing long term cuts which would be executed next year.

The Australian firms which are functioning in London intend to join the British companies to participate in the process of consultation which would take place in the coming weeks. They believe that the British government should not make it tough for the foreign employees to come to Britain or to hire foreign skilled migrants.

The main reason behind this sudden rise in the number of immigrants has been the constant influx of foreign migrants to study where as less Britons were leaving the nation. This number dropped to 36,000 last year from 90,000 in 2008. So, the only way to bring about a balance is to cut down on net immigration. At the same time, being a member of the EU means that the EU citizens have to be permitted free access into the nation at all times. This leaves the nation with no choice but to cut down on the immigration from the non-EU nations.

With immigration becoming a major issue of debate in the United Kingdom, the government of the nation has finally reviewed its immigration policy. The new policies have brought about a strict on immigration especially from the non-European nations. Till the policies are implemented, a temporary limit would be set up for the time being.

As of now, the temporary limit is 24,100 for the non-European migrants. This number would be enforced till April 2011 when the revised policies would be implemented. With the aim of lowering the levels to those of the 1990s, strict measures are being put in place.

As promised by the Government during its election campaigns to reduce the rate of immigration in the UK, the government is fulfilling its promise made to its public. At the same time, this cap might have dire effects on the economy of the nation. This has been warned by many people which including both the employers in the nation as well as the Education Secretary.

For instance, the Indian food industry in the UK is booming far and wide in the nation. For this industry to boom in the nation, cooks and chefs from India are a must who could contribute to this industry. It was seen that despite recession, this industry continued to boom with many people developing a taste for the Indian cuisine.

With India being one of the major sources of potential skilled migrants to the United Kingdom and with one industry more or less dependent on the Indians, the question is whether right measures are being taken by the government?

It is agreed that a cut has to be made on the level of immigration. At the same time, it cannot be imposed at such a cost where in the development of the nation’s economy is at stake.

More so, with the policies being changed, this would obviously mean delays in the timelines for processing. With stricter policies in place, all that one could do is simply speculate over the issue.

The British government is finally implementing a cap on its annual intake of skilled migrants from next April. This would definitely pose difficulties for many applicants especially the highly-skilled professionals from India, specifically those working in the field of services and healthcare.

According to Damian Green, the Immigration Minister for Britain, there would be an annual quota. The first of these quotas would begin in April next year which would be executed for Tier I and tier II. Tier I caters to the highly skilled professionals where as Tier II caters to those applicants who already have a job offer in prior. He also said that Britain is not attempting anything strange in its annual quota.

An interim quota has already been implemented in the meantime which has started from July 2010 till March 2011 before the final cap is set. This involves a limit of 5,100 for tier – I and around 20,000 for the Tier II category. As of now, this can be considered as a short respite for the IT professionals from India. The Indian IT industry is completely dependent on Intra Company Transfer or the ICT route to send professionals to Britain. This has not been included in the interim quota with talks being on with the associations from the industry regarding the use of ICT after April next year.

On the issue, Mr. Som Mittal, President for Nasscom said that the industry of technology feels that these quotas should not be executed on the ICT professionals. According to the data, these professionals reside in the nation for less than two years, so it is not related to immigration but instead is about trade. Mr. Mittal would also be meeting the Migration Advisory Committee to discuss this matter in London.

According to a report, immigration to UK has increased over 20% in the last one year. This has come about when more and more students from overseas are coming to study in Britain.

As per the Office of National Statistics, the total long term immigration for the last year was about 196,000. When compared to that of 2008, it was 163,000. With this, the number of student visas has also increased by 35% which led to a number of 362,015 till June. It has been seen that there has been a rise in the number of students coming to pursue higher education in UK. This has been after the introduction of the Points Based System.

However, many campaign groups have argued that this system is more of an ambiguity as many local students are not proceeding with higher education due to unexplained places. Damian Green, the Immigration Minister for Britain said that there would a thorough assessment of these rules.

On the other hand, there are many students who come to UK. At the same time, the universities in the nation also spot them as a good source of income especially when the government is putting cuts on the budgets for higher education. According to a research which came about recently, about a third of universities are also planning to raise their intake of foreign students for their undergraduate courses.

Keeping the admissions to traditional universities aside, many more foreign students have enrolled to about 600 lower tier colleges where it is much easier to obtain an admit. At the same time, these colleges are accredited to give out bachelor degrees.

These colleges also offer qualifications in ancient medicine, circus skills as well as acupuncture. Most of these students also obtain a work permit in the country after finishing their graduate. As per the report, there are about 4,000 illegal migrants who are supposed to have taken benefit of fake colleges to walk into the nation.

It has been said by British government that the nation has gained from immigration from India. At the same time, now the nation wants this rate to be controlled in order to increase the gains as well as reduce the total number of migrants walking into the nation. This is when compared to the level of immigration in 1990s.

Damian Green, the Immigration Minister for Britain on his visit to India said that the nation is also assessing the provisions for the student visas. This is being done to bring about aid to those who are the best and the brightest and could pursue their higher education. At the same time, it could also prevent those who pretend to have an intention to study in order to get a job. He also said that he is in the nation to explain the amends brought about in the UK immigration policies as well as the reasons behind them. At this point of time, the government of UK is working on limited economic immigration.

The Immigration Minister also mentioned that it has been decided to bring about a zero limit when it comes to unskilled migration. At the same time, the government wants to attract the best and the brightest of the entrepreneurs and investors who could aid in the economic growth of Britain. This does not mean there is a contradiction in reduction of immigration levels and at the same time, wanting to bring about more investment and skilled migrants to the nation. Both are possible together.

Answering questions he also said that about hundred illegal migrants on an average are being deported from UK each month. With this, about two hundred more Indians have been detained in various prisons in the nation. The Minister also met with the Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal as well as the DGP to seek cooperation with regard to illegal migration to Britain from Punjab.

A classification known as Neet has come about in England. Neet includes those people between the age group of 16 and 24 years who are neither pursuing education nor into training or employed. This comprises of a total of 874,000 which is about 14.5% of the total youth population in the nation. This number has dropped in the last one year and has landed at the above figure. Initially, there were 1.07 million people. The current figure is still higher than what was recorded in 2005 that was 771,000, thus catering to fears of a generation that is forgotten.

The Department for Education published the figures for Neet for the second quarter of 2010. The results came about after it was projected by a think-tank that most of these people have A-levels or degrees.

According to a spokesman from the DfE, the numbers are still high despite the fall. The government of the nation is focused on reducing this gap between the poorest and richest. It is figuring out a way to provide all the youngsters irrespective of their background, an opportunity to progress. He also said the government is devoted to constant expansion of the apprenticeship programs. The work program would also cater to support that is personalized which is needed by those in search of jobs, irrespective of their situation. This is expected to be put in place by summer of 2011.

It has been claimed by Migrationwatch UK, a campaign group, that regions which are more of immigrants also have higher numbers of unemployed youth. However, the group could not bring out whether the higher inflow of immigrants has led to this increased rate of joblessness. It did mention that across fifty local authorities outside London, an increase in the number of immigrants by just about thousand would mean a rise of unemployment amongst 900 youth.

According to a recent report released by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), it has been confirmed that human trafficking has spread to a major extend when it comes to the level of prostitution in Britain.

Reports have stated that at least 2,600 are forcefully dragged into the business of prostitution at various places of England and Wales. For the very first time, the scale of prostitution has been identified in Britain.

In addition to these 2,600 workers, it has been noticed that 9,200 who at present are stuffed in various other UK brothels are applauded as “vulnerable migrants.” It has been speculated and in some cases confirmed that these immigrants are working against their wills, but it has not been made sure that they have been trafficked from some other country. The police, however, have confirmed that more than half of the women are Chinese, while others belong from certain South East Asian countries and from various parts of Eastern Europe.

In accordance with a project called Project Acumen, the study of last twenty four months show that out f 30,000 women who are working in prostitution, as long as 17,000 are overseas born.

Women are forced to get into this profession in order to pay their £30,000 debt-bond. On refusal, she and her family are often given threats that she has to work seven days in a week in a brothel and pay off her debts.

It is best advised that people intending to immigrate to other nations should take guidance from a legal Immigration and Visa expert to leave the chances of facing any such hassles in future.

An Iraqi student who was speculated to have lied to the immigration authority of the UK on the matter of his birth date is now missing! He was residing in the UK and came to the country as a stowaway in the year 2008.

Rabar Hamad, the concerned youth lied to the immigration authority that he is aged 14 at the time of his arrival. Therefore, he was granted a place at an Oldham secondary school and was given the accommodation in a nearby children’s home. But when an assessment was carried out by Wigan Council, his lie come into notice as his age turned out to be 18. After landing in the country, he even gave trials for so many football matches under various big teams.

Now there are speculations going all over the places that he might have faced deportation back to his home country, especially when it has been found that he has not told his exact age to the immigration authorities. His mates and teachers are continuously insisting that he should not be deported back to Iraq.

Campaigns are going on to stop his deportation back to his country. They are releasing statements like Rabar should be given the right to stay at the place where he is secured and feels safe! He should stay with those people who know that his daily needs are fulfilled.

It has been officially confirmed by the Home Office that he has been missing now.

11 undocumented Bangladeshi nationals have been detained by the UK Border Agency during the three days of operation by the enforcement in South Devon. As of now, the relevant measures are being taken for the deportation of these individuals from the United Kingdom. This is as per the release brought out by the British High Court.

The enforcement operations were implemented throughout the nation to deal with illegal immigration, fake colleges, and organized crime pertaining to immigration as well as sham marriages.

Initially, in Cumbria which is in the north of the UK, nine Bangladeshis were arrested. They were arrested from two restaurants for working illegally and for other offences. With this, the restaurant owners have been warned they have to pay a fine as high as £90,000 if they are not able to prove that they conducted appropriate checks.

According to the Immigration Minister of UK, Damien Green, the government assigned the task to the UK Border Agency to conduct a strict activity of enforcement during the summer. The government is focuses to make it tougher than ever for the undocumented migrants to reside in the UK. These people tend to pressurize the public services, legitimate businesses as well as the local communities. This is being done especially when the nation is not in a position to afford it.

The above has been the main reason why the UKBA is intent on removing illegal employment and other such excuses which are being used by the illegal migrants to either enter or reside in the nation illegally.

As per the immigration law in UK, an employer could be fined as high as £10,000 for each undocumented worker discovered working for him and the employer is not able to prove that he has conducted the relevant checks.