Students look for flying to foreign shores when they are finishing their plus two or after earning a graduation degree. Some of them look for greener pastures and want to boast their CV of having a remark of foreign returned. Students are ready to fly to US, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore to earn a foreign degree. Racial attacks have not prevented many from looking at the foreign shores.

 

Students wishing to fly to US for various purposes need to apply under different categories. Students planning to pursue degrees in full-time academic programmes for bachelors, masters or doctoral programmes must obtain F-1 visas. The M-1 visa is for students wishing to pursue non-academic or vocational studies. Typically, these programmes are of short duration and lead to professional or vocational certification rather than an academic degree. The J-1 visa is for participants in exchange or trainee programmes. Typical J applicants include university professors, researchers, post-doctoral fellows and trainees. Most J visa holders are required to return to their home country for a minimum of two years after completing the terms of their visa. 

 

Britain recently revised its immigration rules for skilled and highly skilled migrants. A British High Commission statement said that under the new rules, the minimum previous earnings for those applying under Tier-I has been increased from the current GBP 20,000 to GBP 25,000. For Tier-II, the minimum prospective earnings have been increased from GBP 17,000 pounds to GBP 20,000, while the highest earnings threshold has been increased from GBP 24,000 to GBP 32,000.

 

Some of the changes suggested by Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) and accepted by the UK government are:

 

* Points reintroduced for Bachelor Degrees with high previous earnings (of at least GBP 35,000 pounds)

 

* No formal qualifications but with high earnings of GBP 1,50,000 would be allowed Tier I visa

 

*Five points hiked for those with Master's Degrees amounting to 15 points

 

The High Commission said that Tier I would be for two years with a further extension of three years for those working in highly skilled employment.

 

Overhauling its immigration policy, Australia has removed low-value courses like hairdressing and cookery from the list. Immigration minister Chris Evans recently formulated a new skilled occupation list with 200 fewer classifications. The minister was hopeful that the new list would bring in the work force needed rather than having people following their courses. “The new move should drive our independent skill migration programme so that we're bringing in the people we need, not have people dominating our migration programme because of the course they study in Australia,” Evans said.

 

The minister said that this would ensure that people who come in on the migration programme have the skills and English levels required for the job.

 

Even Canada is amending its immigration rules. They can largely be classified into two categories- One increase of occupations in demand list and another English proficiency. Jason Kenney, Immigration Minister for Canada said recently that current immigration laws would be reviewed. “The main objective behind this is to boost the influx of migrants who could contribute to the economic needs of the nation,” he said. According to Kenney, major change is likely in the Federal Skilled Worker Programme. In 2008, there were 38 occupations in the list. Citizenship and Immigration Canada has claimed that the list has helped in reducing applications backlog by 48%. Canada is keen that people applying for visa are proficient in English or French language as there would be no retest if one fails.

 

Corrado Chow, assistant director of immigration department, Hong Kong Special Administrative region, said that Indians wishing to come to Hong Kong must come with proper documents. Chow said that with India they share a special relationship and have a visa free arrangement for 14 days. The Hong Kong immigration official said that since 2007, more than 1,500 Indian nationals had been caught for overstaying their visa period.

 

Any of you wishing to go abroad, ensure that your papers are in order and you would not face any difficulties in the foreign land.