AMERICA

 

Canada

 

1. Amira Zubairi, “Report: Canada is Top Choice for US Tech Workers Considering Relocation Due to Trump Administration”, BetaKit, August 10, 2017

• A new report from Hired, a jobs marketplace for tech workers, has found that US President Donald Trump’s administration has created an environment of uncertainty and discomfort for tech workers in the US.
• The report indicated that nearly onethird (32%) of survey respondents said that Canada is their top choice to relocate to, followed by Germany (12%), Asia (10%), and Australia (10%).
• The Canadian government has also been working to attract foreign tech talent and relax its immigration policies through initiatives like the Startup Visa program, which allows entrepreneurs to become permanent residents in Canada if a Canadian venture capital fund or angel investor group makes a financial commitment in their business; and the fasttrack visa, which promises a process time of 10 days to two weeks for highly-skilled talent.

 

Peru

 

2. “Peru Expects to Lure 200,000 Chinese Tourists a Year”, Andina, August 12, 2017

• "A total of 50,000 Chinese tourists are expected by the end of the year —a small figure considering the country's potential. We want it to grow fourfold within the coming years," [Minister of Foreign Commerce and Tourism Eduardo Ferreyros] was quoted as saying by Andina news agency.
• "We have given priority to various markets like the neighboring countries (Ecuador, Chile, Colombia and Brazil) to achieve the goal, but we also looking at large markets such as Asia, mainly China," he stated.
• The visa waiver for Chinese citizens holding a visa or permanent resident status in the United States, Canada, or any Schengen State was one of the actions taken to boost tourism from China.

ASIA

 

Japan

 

3. “Japan Tourism Agency Looks to Introduce ‘Exit Tax’”, The Mainichi, August 8, 2017

• At a press conference on July 19, Commissioner Akihiko Tamura of the Japan Tourism Agency made it clear that the agency is considering taxing those leaving the country. "Currently, we are studying the concept by looking into cases in other countries," Tamura explained.
• Looking ahead to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the government is hoping that 40 million people will visit Japan that year. The Japan Tourism Agency says, "In order to achieve this goal, we need even more effective policies than before" - explaining that it hopes to introduce the new system in fiscal 2018, after referring first to similar tax systems overseas.

Qatar

 

4. Taimur Khan, “Under Boycott Pressure, Qatar Announces Visa-Free Entry for 80 Countries”, The National, August 9, 2017

• Qatar announced on Wednesday visafree entry for the citizens of 80 countries, in the latest move by Doha to counter economic isolation measures against it by three of its GCC neighbours and Egypt.
• The visa waiver, which takes effect immediately, allows the citizens of 33 countries to stay in Qatar for 90 days within a 180day time span, while the nationals of the remaining countries can now stay in Qatar for up to 30 days. Both 30-day and 90-day travellers are eligible for multiple entry to the country.
• The visa announcement comes less than a week after Qatar became the first GCC country to create a permanent resident status for expatriate workers who have “given service to Qatar” or possess “skills that can benefit the country” — another move widely read by analysts as a response to the travel and trade boycott.

 

5. Joey Aguilar, “Citizens of 242 Countries Eligible for Qatar e-Visa”, Gulf Times, August 10, 2017

• The evisa, which features a more efficient and transparent visa application system, was launched in June aimed at further easing foreigners' access to Qatar. According to Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), the e-visa service was expanded to accept applications from travellers to Qatar aboard all airlines, as well as from tourism and hospitality establishments in the country
• “Applications can be made a maximum of 90 days or minimum of four working days prior to travel. Qatar Airways, Qatar Tourism Authority and VFS Global recommend you to apply as early in advance as possible,” the website states.

 

6. Olzhas Ayrezov, “Uzbekistan Says Visa Change to Make it Easier to Leave Country”, Reuters, August 8, 2017

• Uzbekistan, one of the most tightly controlled exSoviet republics, plans to abandon a requirement for all Uzbeks to seek permission from the authorities to leave the country, the Central Asian nation's foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
• A presidential decree has already been drafted and is being reviewed by government agencies, the foreign ministry said in a statement. Another important reform involves changes to the foreign exchange system, which are being rolled out gradually.
• Officials also say they are considering allowing visafree travel for tourists from 15 developed nations, though the scheme has been put back from this year to 2021.

 

Thailand

 

7. “Thailand to Issue New Immigration Paper for Non-Thai Residents”, Xinhua, August 9, 2017

• Thailand will issue a new immigration paper for nonThai residents who may return to the country and stay after they have departed from October, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha approved last Friday the ministry's regulation for the new departure and arrival card to be issued to non-Thai residents.
• The new paper which will be used from October 1 will have only one page instead of two for the previous paper and will be easier for applicants to fill out in case that they may depart Thailand with intent to return to the country and reside.

 

Vietnam

 

8. “Wealthy Vietnamese Pouring Money Into Overseas Properties”, VietnamNet, August 12, 2017

• Vietnam is one of the 10 countries with the highest emigration rates in AsiaPacific, about 100,000 people each year. IOM estimates that in 1990-2015, over 2.55 million Vietnamese migrated abroad.
• The majority of Vietnamese left for developed countries such as the US, Singapore, South Korea, Germany, France, Australia and Canada. It is estimated that 1.3 million people left for the US, while about 100,000 left for other countries.
• Those who want to buy real estate overseas tend to do this under the CBI (Citizenship by Investment) programs used by some countries. When Vietnamese spend between 300,000 euros and 2 million euros to buy properties or invest in projects with CBI programs, they have opportunities for eventual settlement and foreign citizenship.

 

9. “HCM City Seeks Longer Visa Exemptions”, Viet Nam News, August 14, 2017

• HCM City’s Department of Tourism has proposed the Government extend its visa exemption policy for international tourists from nine countries to 30 days from 15 days to promote tourism development to help reach the city’s target of 1011 million international tourists in 2020.
• The countries are Sweden, Denmark, Russia, South Korea, England, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Accordingly, people from the abovementioned countries would not have to apply for a visa if their stay in Việt Nam does not exceed 30 days, instead of the 15 days of the current policy.
• During the last two years, the number of tourists from the Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain increased by 14 per cent each year, thanks in part to the latest visa exemption policy.

 

EUROPE

 

Belarus

 

10. “Visa-Free Stay in Belarus May Be Extended to Ten Days”, Belarusian Telegraph Agency, August 11, 2017

• The duration of visafree stay in Belarus may be extended to ten days, First Deputy Head of the Citizenship and Migration Department at the Belarusian Interior Ministry Vitaly Naumchik told the media on 11 August.
• In his words, the Interior Ministry is busy working on the extension of visafree stay together with the government bodies concerned. “If we go by the initiative of the Interior Ministry to extend the registration-free stay in Belarus to ten days, then we may extend the visa-free stay to ten days as well.”

 

Bulgaria

 

11. “Bulgarian Citizenship Will Be Acquired with Less Paperwork”, Novinite, August 9, 2017

• The Ministry of Justice proposed on Tuesday a series of changes aimed at easing the procedures for applicants for Bulgarian citizenship. The main change is that the administration will make official checks on the status of the candidates and they will not be burdened with the obligation to collect some of the documents.
• Justice Minister Tsetska Tsacheva explained that the procedure for granting citizenship would be shortened by nearly a year and a half.

 

Cyprus

 

12. Angelos Anastasiou, “Cyprus 7^th in Citizenship by Investment”, Cyprus Property News, August 11, 2017

• Cyprus ranks 7th out of 12 countries studied in an analysis of citizenshipby-investment programmes by the Financial Times group’s Professional Wealth Management, ahead of Malta, Bulgaria and Austria, the other European Union member states on the list.
• “Benefits for acquiring citizenship in Cyprus includes freedom of movement and residence in any other European Union member state, although it does not occasion membership of the Schengen Area,” the report said of the island’s naturalisation by exception scheme.

 

Ireland

 

13. Christopher Hope, “Irish Citizens to Get Right to Live and Work in UK as Part of British Isles ‘Schengen deal’ After Brexit”, The Telegraph, August 13, 2017

• Theresa May is to offer free movement to Irish citizens in and out of Britain after the UK leaves the European Union, the Sunday Telegraph can reveal. News of the offer of a “Schengen area” between Britain and Ireland came as the Government prepares to publish a formal proposal to the EU on the future of the Northern Irish border.
• That will come alongside other documents setting out how Britain’s involvement in the customs union with other EU countries this week. Other papers about the continued availability of goods for the EU and the UK, and confidentiality and access to official documents after Brexit will also be published.

Malta

 

14. “Malta Ninth in Survey of Citizenship by Investment”, Times of Malta, August 7, 2017

• Cyprus and Malta also emerged as two of the most popular jurisdictions for EU and nonEU nationals in the Citizenship by Investment Index, published by Financial Times group's Professional Wealth Management.
• Malta, together with Austria, attained the highest scores in freedom of movement and standard of living, as well as achieved the highest score, together with Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis, for due diligence.
• Around 60 per cent of all applicants for a Maltese passport come from Russia, according to the research.

 

OCEANIA

 

Australia

 

15. Jim Probasco, “Where Millionaires Are Moving (and Why)”, Investopedia, August 11, 2017

• According to a recent study by New World Wealth, more high net worth individuals moved to Australia last year than to any other country. In 2016, 11,000 millionaires moved to Australia, 10,000 to the U.S., 8,000 to Canada, 5,000 to the United Arab Emirates and 4,000 to New Zealand, accounting for the top five destinations.
• In 2016, 11,000 millionaires moved to Australia, 10,000 to the U.S., 8,000 to Canada, 5,000 to the United Arab Emirates and 4,000 to New Zealand, accounting for the top five destinationsCountries with attractive goldenticket visa programs include Australia, which requires a $3.8 million investment, and the United States, with a $500,000 investment requirement.

 

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