Blog · 2024-08-31

Relocation news digest - August 31, 2024

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka to introduce visa-free entry for Russian citizens

On 21 August, Sri Lanka expanded the list of countries whose citizens will be able to enter the republic without a visa from 1 October. Russia is among the 35 nations now granted visa-free access.

Since 24 October 2023, Sri Lanka had been issuing free visas on a trial basis to citizens of Russia and six other countries. The pilot was originally due to end on 31 March 2024 but was extended several times.

🇮🇹 Italy tightens its visa rules

Italy has tightened the rules for visa applications: documents must now be submitted no later than 60 days before travel.

Refusing to accept applications after that cut-off creates problems for travellers who have already booked and paid for their tickets.

For now, travellers are advised to plan trips to Italy carefully and to allow for possible further changes to visa requirements.

🇦🇪 UAE extends the reach of mission visas

Mission visas - guest visas for work assignments, or work permits for a mission - can now be obtained in the free zones run by the Dubai Development Authority and the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority. Previously such visas were available only on the UAE mainland.

The mission visa is intended for foreign nationals carrying out temporary work assignments.

🇵🇹 Portugal's migration service warns of fraudulent emails

Portugal's immigration authority has issued a warning about fraudulent emails posing as messages from AIMA. Sent from the address "noreplyportalsef@saf-aima.pt", the emails falsely announce scheduled appointments with AIMA. Recipients are advised not to interact with these messages in any way - do not click the links and do not reply. Genuine appointment notices from AIMA are sent from the domains "aima.gov.pt" or "sef.pt".

AIMA urges citizens to report any suspected fraud to the relevant authorities - either in person at a station of the Public Security Police or the National Republican Guard, or online through the Judicial Police or the Public Prosecutor's Office.

🇨🇦 Canada: new restrictions for foreign workers

As part of the government's continuing effort to reduce the number of temporary residents in the country, Employment and Social Development Canada has announced a set of restrictions for the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The changes take effect on 26 September 2024.

• a refusal to process applications for 6% of certain low-wage occupations;
• a lower cap on the share of low-wage workers an employer may hire;
• a shorter maximum period of employment for low-wage workers.

🇵🇹 Portugal: flights may be cancelled amid strikes

Tourists are being warned of possible flight cancellations due to strikes at Portuguese airports.

The Sttamp union has announced protests from 31 August to 1 September. The largest walkouts are expected at Lisbon and Porto airports. Passengers are advised to check flight status with their airlines.

🇪🇸 Spain to pay digital nomads to relocate to Extremadura

Extremadura, though less popular than other Spanish regions, is keen to attract remote workers.

The Spanish government has earmarked 2 million euros to support the relocation of remote workers, on the expectation that an influx of skilled professionals earning income from abroad will benefit the regional economy.

To take part, foreigners must keep their remote job and live in Extremadura for at least two years. After two years of residence, participants receive 10,000 euros. Stay for a further year and they are paid an additional 5,000 euros.

🇨🇱 Chile: introducing the Mir payment system

Russia's ambassador said the country is ready to work with Chile on accepting Mir cards.

The move is expected to help boost tourist exchange between the two countries.

🇦🇺 Australia: workers can now ignore calls and emails from their bosses

People formally employed in the country now have the legal right to ignore calls and emails from colleagues and managers after the working day ends. The law took effect on 26 August.

Employers can be fined up to 63,000 dollars for contacting staff outside working hours for non-essential reasons.

🇦🇪 UAE: banks begin blocking Russian payments for Chinese equipment

Banks in the UAE have started blocking payments by Russian companies for electronic components and consumer electronics.

🇷🇺 Russia: Freedom Bank suspends transfers via Zolotaya Korona

The bank is awaiting additional information from Zolotaya Korona needed to complete its review. No date has been set for resuming transfers.

On 23 August, the United States imposed sanctions on the software developer behind Zolotaya Korona.

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan: banks halt transfers via Zolotaya Korona

HalykBank, Bank RBK and Eurasian Bank have suspended transfers through the Russian payment system Zolotaya Korona for technical reasons.

🇨🇦 Canada ends work-permit concessions

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has ended a temporary public policy that allowed some individuals to apply for a work permit while inside Canada.

IRCC introduced the policy during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to help foreigners who could not leave Canada because of travel restrictions. Under the programme, eligible individuals could apply for a work permit from within Canada - instead of the usual process of applying at a consular office - and those applying for an employer-specific work permit who had held a work permit within the previous 12 months could request interim authorisation to work while their application was being processed.

Applications received before 28 August 2024 will be processed under the previous policy.

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