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New Zealand tightens visa rules for foreign workers and families

On June 26, 2024, New Zealand implemented changes to its visa regulations that will impact certain foreign workers and their families. The new rules aim to streamline the visa application process and align it more closely with the country's economic and immigration priorities. The key change is that individuals holding an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) at ANZSCO skill levels 4 and 5, without a clear pathway to residency, can no longer sponsor their partners and dependent children for work, visitor, or student visas in New Zealand. This adjustment brings the AEWV scheme more in line with the previous Essential Skills Work Visa program. However, it's important to note that partners and dependent children can still apply for their own visas, such as the Accredited Employer Work Visa or international student visas, as long as they meet the respective criteria. Additionally, the new rules do not impact individuals who already hold visas as partners or dependents, nor do they affect AEWV holders in ANZSCO level 4 and 5 roles with established pathways to residency, including the Green List and sector agreements. The New Zealand Government has also confirmed that applications currently in progress for partner or dependent child visas will be assessed under the regulations in place at the time of application, ensuring continuity for affected individuals. If you had already supported your family's visa application before June 26th, 2024, you may still be able to sponsor a visa for your partner or dependent child under certain conditions. This includes situations where they already held a visa based on their relationship with you, or if their work, visitor, or student visa application was in progress before the rule change and was approved afterward. For AEWV holders in ANZSCO skill levels 4 or 5 who earn less than NZD USD 47.41 per hour, you may still be able to sponsor a visa for your partner or dependent children. In order to be able to sponsor a partner of a Worker Work Visa for your partner, you will need to show that you earn at least NZD USD 29.66 per hour, whereas for a child of a Worker Visitor Visa or a Dependent Child Student Visa for your dependent children, you will need to provide a proof of least NZD USD 43,322.76 annually. If your earnings are below NZD USD 29.66 per hour, you may be able to support a Partner of a Worker Visitor Visa instead. Additionally, you could sponsor a work visa with open conditions if you earn at least NZD USD 59.32 per hour or if your job is listed on the Green List and you meet the role's specific requirements. These changes are part of a broader effort by the New Zealand government to streamline the visa application process and ensure that it aligns with the country's economic and immigration priorities.

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Change in visa rules in Australia – how will it impact Indians

From July 1, 2024, individuals applying for an Australian student visa must initiate their application process from outside the country, rather than from within Australia. This change affects holders of certain visas, including Visitor and Temporary Graduate visas, who will no longer be permitted to apply for Student visas while residing in Australia. The Australian government emphasizes that it will only consider student visa applications from offshore applicants who demonstrate a genuine intention to pursue studies in Australia. Visitors, Temporary Graduate visa holders, and other specified visa holders currently in Australia are ineligible to apply for Student visas under the new rules. However, student visa applications already lodged within Australia before July 1, 2024, will continue to be processed unaffected by these regulations. Holders of Working Holiday Maker and Work and Holiday visas are also exempt from these changes and will not face any impact on their current visa statuses. Australia's government has clearly stated that temporary graduates should plan to leave the country when their visa expires or explore job opportunities that could lead to employer-sponsored visas or permanent residency if they wish to remain in Australia. According to the recent "Graduates in Limbo" report by the Grattan Institute, 32 percent of Temporary Graduate Visa holders are opting to return to study to extend their stay in Australia beyond their visa's duration. These changes align with additional reforms scheduled for implementation on July 1 for Temporary Graduate visa holders. These reforms include notably shorter post-study work rights, a reduction in age eligibility from 50 to 35 years old, and heightened English language proficiency requirements introduced in March. Prospective students can apply for their Student visa from overseas and travel to Australia while awaiting their visa decision. However, they must possess or be granted a visa that permits entry and stay in Australia during this period. It's important to note that offshore Student visa applicants are ineligible for a Bridging visa to remain in Australia while their application is processed. Under the new regulations, holders of visitor visas are permitted to study for up to three months while their visa is valid. Individuals planning to pursue studies exceeding this period must apply for a Student visa from outside Australia. Certain visa holders in Australia, including Temporary Graduate, Maritime Crew, and Visitor visa subclasses, are now prohibited from applying for a Student visa while within the country. Specifically affected visa types include Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate), Subclass 600 (Visitor), Subclass 601 (Electronic Travel Authority), Subclass 602 (Medical Treatment), Subclass 651 (eVisitor), and Subclass 988 (Maritime Crew). Additionally, holders of Subclass 403 (Temporary Work) under the International Relations (Domestic Worker - Diplomatic or Consular) stream, Subclass 426 (Domestic Worker (Temporary) - Diplomatic or Consular), Subclass 771 (Transit), and Subclass 995 (Diplomatic Temporary - primary visa holders only) are already ineligible to lodge valid Student visa applications while in Australia.

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Trip.Biz’s New Hotel Payment Solution Revolutionizes Corporate Travel Management

Trip.com Group’s corporate travel management brand, Trip.Biz, organized the Trip.Biz Corporate Travel Conference 2024 in Hong Kong, China, focusing on the theme “Transform for Growth: Harnessing Digitalized Business Travel for Time and Cost Savings.” The event brought together approximately 150 customer partners, supplier partners, and representatives from prominent global business travel associations such as GBTA, United Airlines, American Express, and New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel. They exchanged insights on breakthroughs and emerging trends in business travel. Trip.Biz, a corporate travel management brand under Trip.com Group, used the occasion to unveil its upcoming “Hotel Payment Solution.” This new offering aims to streamline corporate travel expense management, simplifying complex tasks and processes. Trip.Biz remains dedicated to enhancing its all-in-one corporate travel management services through innovative technology. This commitment ensures that global enterprises receive comprehensive solutions that meet the evolving demands of business travel. Sherwin Dai, General Manager of Trip.Biz Greater China, emphasized the importance of Hong Kong in business travel in the Asia-Pacific region. Due to its geographical advantages, Hong Kong is a key location connecting various regions and the world, with 125 operating routes. He also highlighted, “Enterprises place great emphasis on the cost-effectiveness of short-haul business travel. A comprehensive business travel booking and expense management platform can effectively control costs, plan budgets, simplify processes, and evaluate effects.” According to Trip.Biz data, currently, 80% of business travel falls under short-haul journeys. Trip.Biz serves diverse business travel needs with a broad hotel network spanning major cities and key business travel hubs globally. The upcoming “Hotel Payment Solution” will enable seamless hotel bookings for employees, while streamlining expense management and expenditure data for management and administrative staff. This integration simplifies reconciliation processes and reduces the administrative burden related to reimbursements and daily tasks, ultimately boosting corporate efficiency. Elle Ng-Darmawan, Regional Director, APAC, GBTA highlighted that business travel in the Asia-Pacific region leads globally: “The Asia Pacific region accounts for the largest share of business travel spend globally at 42%. This statistic underscores the immense importance of this region in shaping the trajectory of the travel industry on a global scale.” She further emphasized that digital transformation is driving innovation in the business travel industry, with over half of companies willing to apply AI technology to increase management efficiency. Throughout the conference, partners delved into pivotal advancements and emerging trends within the business travel sector, demonstrating their commitment to industry innovation. Key themes of digital transformation and sustainable development garnered significant interest, with partners offering diverse perspectives and exchanging ideas. Moving forward, Trip.Biz remains steadfast in delivering comprehensive digital solutions aimed at cost reduction, efficiency enhancement, and fostering business growth for enterprises. Collaboration with partners will continue to drive innovation and development within the business travel industry.

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UP govt announces expansion of three major cities

Yogi Adityanath's government has recently announced the plan for expansion of three cities in Uttar Pradesh. These cities are Varanasi, Gorakhpur and Prayagraj. According to a government official, the government plans to incorporate many villages into these cities, hence enhancing their development and growth. The government’s decision comes in view of the growing population in these three cities. The aim for this expansion is to ensure better city planning, even distribution and allocation of resources and diligent services for the residents. To further boost the travel and tourism sector in the state, the cabinet has made some notable decisions. The government has allotted the free land besides Shakumbri Devi, to the tourism department. Being a famous pilgrimage site, the government has decided to provide better facilities for the tourists and to provide economic opportunities to the locals. Furthermore in the cities of Amethi, Barabanki, Bulandshahr and Sitapur, the government is planning to lease Rahi houses to improve tourism infrastructure and attract more footfall. With respect to air connectivity, helipads are to be constructed in Lucknow, Prayagraj and Kapilavastu. All these cities are cultural hotspots in Uttar Pradesh. In Gorakhpur, the Yogi government has approved a plan to develop Paramhans Yogananda Sthal into a tourist attraction. The aim is to celebrate the great Yogi’s legacy. Paramhans Yogananda was an Indian-American monk, yogi and guru. To further boost tourism in Ayodhya, Yogi Adityanath has assigned the Tata Group to build a Temple museum at an estimated cost of 750 crore. This museum will be built on leased land from the tourism department, to attract people from different walks of life.

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Air Arabia Launches Direct Sharjah-Athens Flights, Boosts Travel Options

Air Arabia, the leading low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa, celebrated a milestone today with the launch of its inaugural flight connecting Sharjah International Airport to Athens International Airport. The new route will operate four non-stop weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The inaugural ceremony commenced at Sharjah International Airport, featuring Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, alongside His Excellency Antonis Alexandridis, Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to the UAE, and other senior management officials and guests. A special welcome ceremony awaited passengers upon their arrival at Athens International Airport, marking a significant moment in Air Arabia’s expanding network. Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, commented: “Athens is the latest addition to our expanding EU network from Sharjah, joining Milan and Krakow. This new route provides our customers in the UAE and beyond with more opportunities to explore Greece with our renowned value-driven service. The launch of direct flights to Athens reaffirms our commitment to offering our passengers seamless, accessible, and affordable connectivity options. We look forward to welcoming our customers onboard to experience the rich history and cultural heritage of Athens”. Air Arabia operates a fleet of 74 modern Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, renowned as the world’s most advanced and best-selling single-aisle planes. Passengers enjoy a value-added onboard experience featuring ‘SkyTime’, offering free in-flight streaming, and ‘SkyCafe’, providing onboard catering at affordable prices. Additionally, Air Arabia offers ‘Air Rewards’, an innovative loyalty program allowing passengers to earn, transfer, and redeem points. To book flights between the two cities, customers can visit Air Arabia’s website, contact the call center, or book through authorized travel agencies.

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India now third in domestic air travel market

India has emerged as the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market, a significant achievement that has directly benefited Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, according to President Droupadi Murmu. In her address to the joint session of Parliament, President Murmu highlighted that the country has grown at an average rate of 8% annually from 2021 to 2024. She emphasised that India has risen from the 11th to the 5th largest economy in the world over the past decade. Elaborating on the aviation sector, President Murmu stated that the number of airline routes in India has increased from 209 in April 2014 to 605 by April 2024. She noted that this expansion in air connectivity has directly benefited smaller cities across the country . The President also pointed out that air traffic demand is on the rise, with airlines expanding their fleets to accommodate more passengers. During the January-May 2024 period, domestic airlines carried 661.42 lakh passengers, up from 636.07 lakh in the corresponding period the previous year. Furthermore, President Murmu emphasised the government’s commitment to making India’s public transport system one of the best in the world . The rapid growth of India’s domestic aviation market, driven by increased air connectivity and rising passenger numbers, underscores the country’s economic progress and the government’s efforts to improve transportation infrastructure across all regions.

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