In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Director Kelly Chua, Senior Manager Ana Sofia Walsh and Manager Andreia Florina Ghimis discuss the latest ETA/ETIAS developments in the UK and EU. They discuss the timeline and global rollout for this digitalization of border security, impact on travel, who is affected and the process for applying.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Senior Manager Shuyeb Muquit is joined by Social Market Foundation’s Senior Fellow Jonathan Thomas to discuss the Migration Advisory Committee's (MAC) review of the Shortage Occupation List (SOL). The SOL guides employers on which roles could be filled by migrant workers, given that employers are having difficulty filling those roles domestically. Shuyeb and Jonathan also explore how the SOL has evolved over the years and how UK policies regarding the employment of migrants have become less restrictive.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation podcast, Senior Manager Ramona Perera and Senior Business Immigration Consultants Isabella Ang, Ethan Ma and Missy Mae Makil discuss the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Visa, the recent removal of the understudy training program requirement and how this change impacts PEZA-registered employers offering long-term work authorization.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation podcast, Counsel Andrea Rush and Associate Mayu Hirao explore the limitations of the F-1 Work Authorization, as well as common filing and processing issues that F-1 students may encounter. An international student typically holds F-1 status and can obtain work authorization in one of three ways: Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Pre-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT), or Post-Completion OPT, which can be extended for F-1 students with STEM degrees.

In this special episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Partner Kenneth Lau, Senior Manager Ramona Perera, Assistant Business Immigration Manager David Harvey and Business Immigration Consultant Sherwin Gan discuss the release of the highly anticipated amendment to Decree 152. They also offer feedback on the amendment and share insights into how this development will impact the work permit process in Vietnam.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation podcast, Partner Marius Tollenaere is joined by Johann Daniel Harnoss, Boston Consulting Group Partner and Imagine Foundation Founder and CEO, to discuss the benefits and challenges of hiring internationally. Imagine is a community of talent without borders that has helped approximately 1,000 people from the Middle East and Africa to legally live and work in Europe.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Partner Marius Tollenaere and Director Audrey Morew discuss and compare German and Nordic immigration reforms, systems, and processes. The Nordic Region consists of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland, as well as the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland. Marius and Audrey also discuss employment and skills-based immigration, and the requirements that vary from country to country such as the connection between one's education and job type.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Senior Manager Shuyeb Muquit is joined again by Social Market Foundation’s Senior Fellow Jonathan Thomas for a discussion on UK immigration policy, the evolution of the country's immigration system, and common themes seen throughout various reports. One report referenced includes “The Whole of the Moon,” an independent report by SMF, sponsored by Fragomen. The report analyses the UK immigration system and its policies for dealing with labour shortages.Read the report here.You can also listen to Shuyeb and Jonathan's previous podcast conversation here and view our Mobility Minute on the topic here.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Partner Kenneth Lau, Senior Manager Ramona Perera, Senior Business Immigration Consultant David Harvey, and Business Immigration Consultant II Sherwin Gan discuss in-depth the long-awaited release of a draft amendment to the Vietnam Ministry of Labour's Labour Decree 152. The draft amendment appears to clear up some of the confusion about the Decree’s intent and provide concessions to the business community surrounding work permits. Gain key insights into what led to this moment, the current state of Vietnam's immigration and work permit system following its post-pandemic border re-opening, and the next steps in the process.

Senior Manager Shuyeb Muquit is joined by Social Market Foundation's Senior Fellow Jonathan Thomas to discuss "The Whole of the Moon," an independent report by SMF, sponsored by Fragomen. The report analyses the UK immigration system and its policies for dealing with labour shortages.Read the report here.You can also view our Mobility Minute on the topic here.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Senior Managers Kelly Hardman and Margot Rikmanspoel and Senior Associate Tarik Elhadidi discuss immigration trends and considerations across the energy sector.Immigration is an essential issue across the energy arena, particularly within the offshore sector and maritime industry. Despite their rebounding following the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of other economic and geopolitical factors continue to play a role in how employers approach the movement and attraction of talent in this niche area.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Senior Director Roy Ren and Director Iris Zhang join us from Fragomen’s Shanghai office to share their insights on China’s Visa on Arrival.Also known as VoA or Port Visa, Visa on Arrival allows travelers to obtain a single entry, maximum 30-day visa upon arrival at entry ports. This episode provides an overview of the advantages of choosing a Visa on Arrival instead of a normal visa. It also expands on the requirements and steps to obtaining China’s Visa on Arrival. You will also learn how Fragomen’s China team is able to provide end-to-end assistance for obtaining a Visa on Arrival as part of Fragomen’s full spectrum China immigration services.Please note this episode is recorded in Chinese.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Pro Bono Director Barbara Camacho speaks with Fragomen Fellow Lucia Damerau and Associate Ana Gabriela Urizar about the twin sisters' personal immigration journeys. Growing up in a small town in Guatemala, Lucia and Ana Gabriela eventually arrived in New York City, finding their footing in a bustling environment and surrounded by new cultures and languages. Their drive and ambition led them to not only successfully adjusting to a new life in the United States, but also to completing law school after college.Ultimately, both Lucia and Ana Gabriela pursued careers in immigration law because of the impact of their own experiences as immigrants.

In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Responsible Business Practices Partner Lisa Koenig connects with Partners Leonor Echeverria and Siobhan Owers about Fragomen's sustainability journey. During the conversation, they share updates on initiatives and progress within their particular offices and regions, ideas to scale sustainability programs globally, and new learnings from clients that are impacting the sustainability space.

In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Partner Azeem Mohiuddin and Associate Jake Paul Minster discuss the immigration impacts of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, along with what to expect as the 2026 World Cup approaches.As they look back on last year’s momentous event, Azeem and Jake touch on some of the many “firsts” of the 2022 World Cup that made it so significant: it was the first tournament to be held in the Middle East, the first tournament to be held during the colder months and the first tournament that included three female officials. They review how immigration processes were affected by these firsts and the importance of planning in advance.Then, they look ahead to the 2026 World Cup and discuss a variety of immigration concerns surrounding the multi-country nature of the upcoming tournament.See the video version of this podcast here.

In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Senior Managers Angela Baker, Kelly Hardman and Maysie Pandor and Associate Sarah Melnick discuss the H-1B cap lottery, running through March 17, 2023.

In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Senior Associates Jordi Bayer and Mikhail (Mike) Izrailev discuss the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, focusing on some of the most common questions investors face and issues that arise during the EB-5 Green Card process.

In the latest episode of the Immigration Conversation, Partners Aaron Blumberg and David Crawford are joined by Betsy Fisher, U.S. Director at Talent Beyond Boundaries, for a conversation on refugee labor mobility and the opportunities new visa pathways provide for refugees to secure employment and fill labor shortages.

In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Partner Chad Ellsworth and Rina Montalvo, Head of Talent Mobility, Immigration and Flexible Work Program at Twitter discuss immigration challenges impacting the LGBTQ+ community and share insights for global mobility professionals to help advise and support LGBTQ+ colleagues as part of their immigration programs.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Fragomen Partner Aaron Blumberg, CEO of Nomadic Brendan Ryan and Lead Architect for Emerging Technologies at Unisys Global Services India Sanket Panchamia discuss block chain technology and how it will revolutionize immigration and global mobility.