Topia’s Immigration News & Solutions Roundup - April 2024

Welcome to the seventh installment of 'Navigating Business Immigration,' our series featuring the latest global developments in business immigration, from visa program updates and policy changes to the evolving immigration landscape. Join our in-house immigration experts as they report on immigration updates and how Topia’s products and solutions reflect these new changes.

Indonesia: Remote Work Visa Introduced

The government introduced a remote worker visa program on April 1, 2024. To qualify, applicants must be employed by a company based outside of Indonesia; earn at least USD 60,000 annually; provide evidence of sufficient funds in a bank account; provide evidence of residence in Indonesia; and pay a fee of IDR 2,700,000 (~USD 150). The visa is initially valid for up to one year and renewable for one more year. Applications must be submitted on Indonesia's eVisa website and will be adjudicated within 10 days. Visa holders must enter Indonesia within 90 days of visa issuance then obtain a Limited Stay Permit (ITAS) and Multiple Exit Re-Entry Permit (MERP) and complete in-country registration. Remote Work Visa holders may not work for or earn money from a company in Indonesia.

How has Topia addressed this in its immigration solutions?

In our Global Immigration Library entry for Indonesia, under Work Authorization, we added a summary about the new remote worker visa to the Work Permit Types subsection.  

Romania: Various Changes to Employment Immigration Rules

An ordinance that took effect at the end of March introduced various changes to the immigration law. The principal changes include the following:

• To qualify to sponsor an employment permit, employers must now have conducted business for at least one year in the field in which the permit is requested. The General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) may confirm this at the time of application.
• Employers must now finalize an employment agreement with the sponsored foreign national within 15 business days of their entry to Romania, or of receipt of the employment permit. Fines will apply to employers who fail to do so unless the foreign national is the cause of the delay.
• Employers (or beneficiaries of a secondee’s service) must notify the IGI about any amendment or termination of an employment agreement or secondment within five business days, down from 10 days.

How has Topia addressed this in its immigration solutions?

In our Global Immigration Library entry for Romania, under Work Authorization, we revised the paragraph that covers sponsoring employer requirements in the Work Permit Types subsection.

Schengen Area: Bulgaria and Romania Admitted to Schengen Area

On March 31, 2024, Bulgaria and Romania were officially admitted to the Schengen Area. Both countries have removed immigration inspections at their internal air and sea borders and will now issue Schengen visas.

In addition, the Schengen Area visitor stay limit of 90 days in a 180-day period across the area will now also apply in Bulgaria and Romania; and holders of visas and residence permits issued by other Schengen countries can now use these to enter (but not work in) Bulgaria and Romania.

The final step will be the lifting of checks at internal land borders between Bulgaria, Romania and the other Schengen countries, which is expected later in 2024.

How has Topia addressed this in its immigration solutions?

In our pre-travel assessment system, we added Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen Special Group, which applies Schengen rules (e.g., the 90-day-in-180-days stay limit) to Schengen countries on the backend. We adjusted some other rules in the system to ensure the Schengen rules apply instead of these countries’ former rules. 

United Kingdom: Salary Thresholds Increased for Skilled Worker Route and Dependent Sponsorship; Immigration Salary List  Replaces Shortage Occupation List

In early April, various changes related to salary thresholds took effect in the UK, as follows.

• The minimum general salary requirement for the Skilled Worker Route increased from GBP 26,200 to GBP 38,700. The “going rates” for the route also have the potential to increase, as they will be calculated differently than before. Going rates are based on the median salary for a given occupation. Sponsoring employers must pay Skilled Workers at least the higher of the minimum general salary or the going rate for the occupation. Certain exceptions apply. 
• The minimum income required to sponsor family members under certain family routes has increased from GBP 18,600 to GBP 29,000. There are no longer separate income requirements for partners and children.  
• A new Immigration Salary List (ISL) has replaced the Shortage Occupation List (SOL). Rather than maintaining a list of all occupations experiencing labor shortages (the old SOL) the ISL lists the positions for which the government authorizes a reduction in the minimum salary requirement to fill shortage roles. 

How has Topia addressed this in its immigration solutions?

In our Global Immigration Library entry for the UK, under Work Authorization, we revised the minimum salary threshold, information about going rates, and references to the SOL under the Skilled Worker Route in the Work Permit Types subsection. We also revised the minimum salary requirement in the Dependents subsection.

Topia’s Solutions for Immigration

 Global Immigration Library

Topia’s Global Immigration Library provides instant access to the most up-to-date domestic and global immigration information for almost 80 countries. This includes allowable business visitor activities, common work permit types and process steps, maximum durations of stay for both visitors and workers, and average visa and work permit processing times. The data that powers the library is provided by a network of the world’s top immigration experts. Learn more here.

Visa & Travel Risk Management

Topia’s visa and travel risk management tool allows business travelers and remote workers to perform their own pre-travel immigration assessments in real-time. The tool helps employees understand exactly which documents they will require to enter a country based on their nationality, duration of stay, and activities, i.e. a work permit, a business visa, an electronic travel authorization, or just a passport. Learn more here.

Topia’s immigration solutions enable assignees, remote workers, business travelers and their employers to stay compliant with global immigration requirements and to prepare for their immigration processes.

Want to know more about Topia’s immigration solutions? Reach out to info@topia.com to find out more.