Reports from U.S. Department of Homeland Security say that illegal migration has fallen by 1 million people in 2 years; however, private researchers are questioning the reality of this fall. Statistics represent that January 2009 marked 10.8 million illegal immigrants as compared to almost 12 millions in the year 2007, which represents a fall of more that 1 million illegal overseas migrants.

Jeffrey Passel, a demographer with the nonpartisan Pew Hispanic Center, elaborated that it is believable that the number of undocumented applicants and illegal immigrants have fallen by a huge margin, but the way the measuring has been done, Jeffrey said that it has been a little overstated.

Passel went on to say that the U.S. Census Bureau has made certain amendments with the way it has been measuring the statistics since the last two years. Therefore, there are chances that the mends might have distorted the results in a huge manner.

Others believe that no matter what the size of the population is, it is certainly true that illegal immigration has dropped by a huge extend, especially during the phase of recession. Also, another group believes that the fall might be a result that more illegal immigrants are leaving the premises, and not because fewer illegal immigrants are coming.

Steve Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies has confirmed that illegal immigration in the U.S. has plummeted for sure. The main reason behind this is that a lot more people are going home as compared to the ones intending to come to the U.S.

According to stats, a majority of undocumented applicants come from Latin America, followed by Mexico and El Salvador. Now these figures would certainly awake Obama as far his Immigration Reform is concerned.

Making career and finding better future options are some of the facets that are perhaps becoming top priorities for students out there. More than anything else, students are concerned about their faculty, institutions and the kind of education they get. This is perhaps one of the reasons, they don’t hesitate to leave their home country and choose the option of studying abroad. Check out some of the hottest study destinations:

1. The United Kingdom: Just as the destination is popular with vacationers, it is immensely applauded for its educational institutions, range of courses offered and faculty members. And if you are into literature and art, there is no better place than the UK. Just head on towards UK and know their culture and accent by indulging in some entertaining exchanges.
2. Australia: The country offers a perfect comfort zone for students, especially those belonging to the English-speaking zones. Sydney, Perth and Melbourne are most popular study hubs in Australia, thanks to some of the renowned universities like University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, La Trobe University, and Melbourne Business School, to name a few. Australia has lot to offer to students having any subject.
3. USA: USA as a study destination can be regarded as a brilliant choice to perfect your academic career and enhance your chances of working with some of the top professionals. Students from various countries flock in to study some of their favorite subjects in well-recognized US Universities.
4. Canada: The country offers a diverse range of more than 90 Institutions and is famous for its high quality of education. With a country offering diversity like no other, Canada with its two official language- English and French, can be a perfect choice for you. Some of the options include Academy Canada, Acadia University, Alberta Vocational College – Calgary, Cégep Joliette-De Lanaudière, College Militaire Royale, and Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, to name a few.
5. Italy: Know that Europe’s oldest university is in Italy! Students from all over the world come to study in some of the best Italian educational institutes like European School of Economics, European University Institute, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Istituto Universitario di Architettura (Venezia). It is advised that students should not limit themselves to the places about which they have just heard. Rather, they must check out institutions in other Italian cities as well. There is more to Italy, then just pasta, pizza, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and wine! Go and explore its educational aspects.
6. Mexico: The place is getting increasingly popular with students planning to study and learn the meaning of life at the same time! The line sounds interesting! Isn’t it? The practical experience offered by the country is even more exciting and full of learning experiences. Just study your favorite subjects and make your career in Mexico! In addition, it is a great place to learn Spanish.

The list doesn’t end here. Consult an Immigration and Study Visa expert now and know more about your options of studying abroad.

A foreign trained doctor has to prove his skills and abilities as a doctor to cater to the health sector in the United States. Being one of the most crucial industries, it is important that the doctor has to be well qualified and up to date with the medical practices prevalent in the United States. An immigrant medical doctor would be permitted to practice medicine under the following visas –

• TN Visa – This visa is granted to the professionals from Canada, Mexico and other allied workers. These include registered nurses, dentists, dieticians and nutritionists, psychologists and other therapists, laboratory technologists and so on.
• H-1B Visa – Physician of foreign nationality have to cater to the mandatory requirements such as the LCA and so on. Also, they have to clear all the three parts of the USMLE and obtain a license in the particular state where they intend to work.

However, this is not applicable to renowned doctors as they do not fall under the category of foreign graduates.

• J-1 Visa - Those physicians coming to study in the United States and thus, receive training on the job by treating and caring for the patients are eligible to work under this visa. This has to be granted via the Educational Council for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).

To know more, it is best to contact an Immigration and Visa Specialist who deals with US Visas and Immigration. He would be able to guide you through the entire process and help better run the process. So, contact one today!

The work visas for the nurses in the United States involves a separate criteria altogether. According to the Immigration and Nationality Act, DOL regulations along with the USCIS policies specify provisions only for the permanent residents. With the exemption for those belonging to Canada and Mexico, others have to prove that they are eligible for the same.

Nursing is not considered as a professional occupation by the USCIS. The H-1A temporary visa would only be offered to a nurse if he/she has been certified by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS). Also, they have to clear the test conducted by the English Testing Service (ETS). Another option is to appear for the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) test.

The permitted visas for this profession include the Green Card, TN visa, H1 – B visa and H1 – C visa. This depends on the position held by the individual. The skills including the educational qualifications as well as the work experience of the individual are also counted.

In addition, it also depends upon the type of the employer or the organization the nurse is serving. Also included are the personal goals of the individual, reasons to immigrate and so on.

Since, it is one of those professions which have a level of restriction on the number of candidates; one has to carefully decide on the type of visa to be applied for. It is best recommended to contact an immigration and visa specialist who would guide you through the same.

When compared to other countries in the world, it is not easy to get a Permanent Residence permit in the United States. This is commonly known as the Green Card which is obtained by the immigrants. This card proves an immigrant to be a resident of the United States.

Obtaining a Green Card is important in order to be a citizen of the United States at a later stage. Being a Permanent Residents entitles an individual to live and work in the US indefinitely. Based on the local state laws, a Green Card holder might be permitted to vote as well in the local elections. But, this is not true for the federal elections.

But the Green Card is highly restrictive to only a specific set of immigrants. It would not be granted to you simply because you resided in the country. Many factors are considered before approving of a candidate.

In order to apply for a Green Card, an application has to be submitted to the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). The eligibility criteria includes the following –

• A permanent resident or a citizen of US who has agreed to sponsor you.
• Sponsorship from your employer.
• Incase, you are a refugee in the country or are on the look out for shelter.

The approval completely depends on the number of candidates applying each year from a specific community or nationality. If the number is available for the applicants from your native country, you would be considered for the same. In case you are selected, your application would be put on a waiting list which would be reviewed again in the consecutive years. This is very specific for countries which have high number of applications coming in such as India, China, Mexico and the Philippines.

Usually, preference is given to those candidates where the employer is the sponsor and they are highly skilled and qualified.

But, it is best suggested to contact an Immigration and Visa Specialist and Immigration Attorneys who can help you with the same. You would be given the best advice through these individuals since they are always updated in this field. So, get to know more from the above people.