from ABIL Global Immigration Update

Tuberculosis (TB) testing requirements now form part of the visa application process for people planning to come to the UK for more than six months, as of December 31, 2012. This follows the UK government's announcement in May 2012 of tuberculosis testing as a requirement of the visa application process for certain countries. The UKBA already rolled out pre-entry TB screening in India beginning on August 16, 2012.

Visa applicants in Malaysia now need to undergo pre-entry TB screening and obtain a certificate verifying that they are not infected with TB before they can obtain a visa to enter the UK for more than six months. Testing will not be required for those traveling to the UK for less than six months; for example, for short-term business or tourism. Only UKBA-approved clinics may carry out the screening.

MORE INFORMATION ON TB TESTING IN MALAYSIA FOR VISA APPLICANTS

Nepal is also one of the 67 countries that has a high incidence of TB, according to the World Health Organization. Pre-entry screening is being introduced there on January 2, 2012, for visa applicants wishing to travel to the UK for more than six months.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TESTING PROCESS, REQUIREMENTS AND APPROVED CLINICS IN NEPAL

South Africa and Zimbabwe are the latest to be added to the list of countries where compulsory tuberculosis testing of visa applicants will take place for those applying to come to the UK for more than six months. South Africa and Zimbabwe have been identified by the World Health Organization as one of the 67 countries with a high incidence of the disease. The testing will need to take place at an approved test center.

MORE INFORMATION ON TB TESTING IN SOUTH AFRICA

ZIMBABWE ANNOUNCEMENT

from ABIL Global Immigration Update

The South African Department of Home Affairs issued a confidential directive in December 2011 that seeks to regulate the issue of short-term work authorizations. It has supplemented that directive in recent weeks with policy guidelines on the same subject. The holders of visa-exempt passports (for example, U.S., Canadian, and European Union (EU) passports) are most affected.

Generally speaking, persons traveling on visa-exempt passports receive a visitor permit that is valid for three months upon arriving at a South African port of entry, unless they already hold some other residence status. It was often not realized that this visitor permit allowed the holder only to visit, not work.

Immigration legislation did, however, allow for persons needing to enter the Republic to work, so long as the work was for no longer than three months. This special category of visitor permit could be obtained upon arrival at a port of entry, so long as the passport was visa-exempt. This type of permit was intended principally for film crews, performing artists, models and support staff, counsel needing to consult with clients, and other such legitimate short-term deployments.

Until recently, the practice had been that upon presentation of a letter from the offshore employer asking for such short-term work authorization, this subcategory of visitor permit would be issued at the port of entry for a period of three months. However, the ease with which this could be done led to considerable abuse. There were instances of people actually working in the Republic on these visitor permits for years by "commuting" home every three months. This, it was thought, allowed the employer to bypass the requirements for an ordinary work permit. The Department of Home Affairs views such practice as immigration fraud.

The new regime has a number of key features. A well-motivated representation must be submitted in writing to the Director General of Home Affairs at least 10 days before the person is scheduled to arrive in South Africa. The Director General must approve the request in writing, and the employee must submit that approval to the port of entry upon arrival. This permit may only be obtained at a port of entry or at an embassy. The permit will not be extended; anyone needing to stay and work for longer than 90 days must instead apply for an appropriate work permit.

from ABIL Global Immigration Update

Outside of refugee movements (which are regulated by the Refugees Act), immigration in South Africa is regulated by the Immigration Act, 2002, and the regulations to that Act. Two significant amendments to each of these Acts are expected. The Department of Home Affairs is revising the regulatory regime underpinning these Acts. These amendments may come into operation in the second quarter of 2012 or possibly as soon as the end of April 2012.

While the provisions of the Amendment Acts are obviously known, the Department tends not to reveal in advance what is coming in the regulations and is not required to engage stakeholders on their content. In some critical ways, it is impossible to understand the Amendment Acts before we have seen the new regulations.

One issue that will affect the deployment of staff to South Africa is, however, quite clear. Under the current Act (and even its predecessor), it is entirely lawful for an expatriate employee to travel to South Africa immediately to take up a post, particularly if he or she is the holder of a visa-exempt passport. The employee would enter the country as a visitor and then apply from inside the country for the appropriate work or transfer permit. Even if his or her visitor permit had expired before the main application had been adjudicated and approved, in practice the Department's receipt for the application would serve as a de facto permit to remain in the country. It would not be a de facto "interim" work permit, however.

The new Act expressly provides that, from whenever it comes into operation, a person cannot travel into the Republic as a "visitor" and then, within a week or several, apply for a work permit. Travelling with one's family and seeking study permits, or similar activities, would be a dead giveaway as to intent. The new Act reasons that to say that one is entering the country on the basis of being a visitor when he or she knows that the real purpose is to take up a position constitutes misleading the Department and entering on the basis of misrepresentation. So applying to change a visitor permit to a work permit (or medical permit) will be strictly prohibited. The visitor must instead return to his or her country of ordinary residence (with the family) and apply through the appropriate Embassy for the correct permit.

The new Act provides that "internal" changes of purpose will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances to be defined by the Minister in the new regulations.

Employers should be alert to these changes because a mistake could be a very expensive miscalculation.