In many cases, they make significant donations to charities, which greatly help uplift the poor and marginal areas back in their home countries…reports Asian Lite News
Many talented brains from developing nations like India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan have been immigrating to economically progressive and highly developed nations for many years.
They migrate in search of a good quality of life, world-class education for their children, and social security perks, including disability and maternity benefits, unemployment allowance, employment insurance, and other attractive benefits.
This is primarily why many choose to become permanent residents of developed nations such as Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. But the youth and skilled professionals who have moved to these nations have also brought in foreign remittances and a good deal of foreign exchange that helps boost the economy and development of a country that is still wanting and in its development stage. Contributing back home
Many immigrants with well-paying jobs in these overseas nations help their relatives, parents, and near and dear ones by sending them money for assistance. Even students who study in developed nations return home with great knowledge and expertise. They even impart their expertise and aid in medicine, engineering, technology, and other professions.
Immigrants in other nations make it up to their home nations by keeping the foreign remittances flowing. Many of these remittances help ease the constraints of credit in rural areas. It helps accelerate human capital with improved health and educational facilities besides a good lifestyle. Many immigrants who return to their nations build hotels, hospitals, schools, and places of public worship or institution.
In many cases, they make significant donations to charities, which greatly help uplift the poor and marginal areas back in their home countries. Because of their contribution, many needy and underprivileged people find a vehicle and means to make their dreams come true. Immigration has been an excellent life-changer for many people who cannot find adequate help, but through the financial assistance from these immigrants, they find a way to live the life they deserve.
“I think the Quantum Leap is a great phrase. It stretches the imagination and that’s exactly what we should be doing. The DNA of India and the UK is deeply ambitious,” she said…reports Asian Lite News
India is the leading nationality for skilled workers and students coming to the UK and therefore immigration should be dis-aggregated from the wider free trade agreement (FTA), UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said on Thursday.
“We are going to have the highest number of Indian students come to the UK for the new semester year. India dominates our immigration system,” she said.
“Free trade agreements, FTAs, are absolutely there for trade purposes. When it comes to people to people movement or migration, they should not necessarily be in trade agreements,” she said.
“We have introduced a points-based immigration system, a brand-new digital immigration system. That is up and running, it’s working. And, the nationality that tops the list is India. It’s a high skill, sponsored by employers to work across a range of sectors,” the home secretary elaborated.
Asked about further opening up visas with an FTA, she noted: “I think we should disaggregate this from the wider FTA. FTAs are the territory of tariffs and quotas, which does not apply to immigration. We want high skills and high wages.”
Addressing a session on the diaspora living bridge at the UK-India Week in London, the senior British-Indian Cabinet minister also referred to the BJP and Conservative Party as “sister parties” as she expressed her confidence in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “quantum leap” in bilateral relations in the lead up to an FTA later this year.
“I think the Quantum Leap is a great phrase. It stretches the imagination and that’s exactly what we should be doing. The DNA of India and the UK is deeply ambitious,” she said.
The Gujarati-origin minister referenced British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to India in April, when he was in the “home state Gujarat”.
“I’m very much bilateral rather than multilateral,” Patel said, adding institutions do serve a purpose but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has driven the bilateral partnership. I’m going to be very political now, I think our two parties are sister parties and that helps. Not only are the roots strong but they are accelerating and that’s because of the people to people ties. We are rooted together, people, education, skills, economy, we are vested,” she said.
She was also asked about Johnson’s partygate troubles, having lost two important by-elections earlier this month, and her own prime ministerial ambitions to succeed him, which she dismissed.
India is the leading nationality for skilled workers and students coming to the UK and therefore immigration should be dis-aggregated from the wider free trade agreement (FTA), UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said on Thursday.https://t.co/t2MR1f0dmZ
She said: “I know my party pretty well. I have been involved with by-elections myself, where there are mid-term losses and it happens. We should not start wringing our hands and condemning ourselves. He [Johnson] will be the Prime Minister of our country and leader of the Conservative Party going into the next general election, I can guarantee that. It’s [becoming Prime Minister] not something I think about. I’m absolutely focussed on my job and my responsibility to my country and the British people.”
The UK-India Week, organised by UK-headquartered India Global Forum (IGF), opened on Monday and will conclude on Friday with UK-India Awards to celebrate achievements across different sectors in promoting bilateral ties.
Bodies of 27 immigrants recovered off Libyan coast
The Libyan Red Crescent said on that 27 bodies of illegal immigrants were recovered off the coast of Al-Allus town, some 95 km east of the capital Tripoli…reports Asian Lite News
“Bodies recovery team recovered 17 bodies of illegal immigrants, including an infant, off the shore of Al-Allus,” Xinhua news agency quoted the Red Crescent as saying in a statement.
Bodies of 27 immigrants recovered off Libyan coast
“With the help of the Coast Guard in a nearby location, the team recovered additional 10 bodies of illegal immigrants, including two women, and rescued three others who were provided with first aid assistance,” it added.
According to the rescued migrants, a number of migrants remained missing.
Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal immigrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.
So far this year, a total of 31,456 illegal migrants have been rescued and returned to Libya, while hundreds of others died and went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The international graduates must have completed an eligible course at a UK higher education provider, with a track record of compliance with the government’s immigration requirements, to apply to the Graduate route, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
The government has opened a new immigration route on Thursday allowing international graduates to kick start their careers in the UK after they have finished their studies at a UK university.
The Graduate route provides an opportunity for talented international graduates who have been awarded their degree from a UK university to stay in the UK and work, or look for work, at any skill level for at least two years.
The new route, part of the points-based immigration system, will help attract the best talent from around the world and ensures that businesses can recruit the most highly qualified from across the globe to complement the skills already in UK, the Home Office said.
It added that the new move will drive the economy forwards as Britain builds back better from the pandemic.
Home Secretary, Priti Patel said that it is vital “the UK continues to be a beacon for talented young people.”
“Our world leading universities welcome thousands of international students every year. As we build back better, it is vital that the UK continues to be a beacon for talented young people across the globe who want to make a difference,” Patel said.
@C – By Tim Green from Bradford, UK
“The new Graduate route does just that, giving the best and brightest graduates the opportunity to continue contributing to the UK’s prosperity and the freedom to kickstart their careers in the UK, she added.
The route will work for all corners of the UK, ensuring that communities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can benefit from talented individuals who want to build their careers in the UK after their studies.
“International students are a vital part of our society, and those who graduate from our world-leading universities should have the opportunity to stay and build meaningful careers here, in the UK,” Michelle Donelan, Universities Minister said.
“That is why we are introducing this new route for international graduates, enabling British businesses to attract and retain some of the brightest, most talented graduates across the globe, and helping this nation build back better from the pandemic, the minister added.
The Home Office clarified that international graduates must have completed an eligible course at a UK higher education provider, with a track record of compliance with the government’s immigration requirements, to apply to the Graduate route.
The Graduate route is unsponsored, meaning applicants do not need a job offer to apply to the route. There is no minimum salary requirements nor caps on numbers. Graduates on the route can work flexibly, switch jobs and develop their career as required.
A coronavirus concession on the date by which students must enter the UK, if they started courses in 2020 and are unable to travel due to the pandemic, has been extended to 27 September, recognising the continuing disruption many face due to international travel restrictions.
Applicants who began their studies in autumn 2020, or in spring 2021 will need to be in the UK with permission as a student, by 27 September 2021.Students beginning their course this autumn or early next year will need to be in the UK by 6 April 2022.
Anne Marie Graham, Chief Executive of UK Council for International Student Affairs, said that employability is a priority for international students coming to study in the UK.
“We welcome the Graduate route as a unique opportunity for eligible international graduates to further enhance employability skills and gain experience of the UK labour market for a period after completing their studies,” she said.
“International students who are able to access this route will have the flexibility to apply for work in any sector or role that fits their skills profile, including self-employment, without the need for employer sponsorship,” she added.
During the Mexico visit, she said Washington aimed to boost economic development in the region….reports Asian Lite News
US Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday met Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and declared “we are embarking on a new era” in U.S.-Mexico relations, and with the world more broadly, according to media reports.
Meanwhile, Harris has faced pressure to visit the US-Mexico border, as she tries to tackle a record migration spike, the BBC reported.
Harris had a testy exchange with a journalist who asked why she had not gone to the US southern boundary, it was reported.
Meanwhile, Democratic party members also criticised her after she warned against illegal immigration.
During the Mexico visit, she said Washington aimed to boost economic development in the region.
She and Mexican President Obrador said it was in the interests of both countries to address the root causes of migration.
According to BBC, about 178,000 undocumented migrants arrived at the US southern border this April, the highest total in more than two decades.
Mwanwhile, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador celebrated the preliminary outcome of Sunday’s midterm elections, saying the results point to the continuity of his administration’s national project.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, the President hailed the historic elections, which had more than 20,000 public posts up for renewal, the largest number ever in Mexico,- and drew a record turnout despite the Covid-19 pandemic, reports Xinhua news agency.
Polling day saw “a degree of political maturity rarely seen” in an election, said Lopez Obrador.
The United States and Mexico share history and family. Our economies are tied, and our security relies on one another. I am here in Mexico City to renew our nation’s important partnership with Mexico.
Among the key posts up for election were 15 governorships and 500 federal deputy seats.
“Yesterday we took a very important step. It was a historic election. There have been few elections like yesterday’s, and I say that because yesterday’s elections were free and clean, unlike previous ones,” the President said.
The ruling progressive National Regeneration Movement (Morena) and its allied parties will enjoy a “majority” in the Chamber of Deputies, allowing for the continuity of his top priorities, including improving the lives of the poor and underprivileged, he said.
Lopez Obrador, who took office in 2018, stressed that attending to poverty helps cut crime, one of Mexico’s biggest problems.
The vice president warned people they would be turned back at the border….reports Asian Lite News
Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday urged would-be migrants in Guatemala not to try to enter the United States illegally, media reported.
Speaking on her first overseas trip since taking office, she said the journey north was dangerous and would mainly benefit people smugglers, the BBC reported.
The vice president warned people they would be turned back at the border.
In a news conference alongside Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei, she warned against illegal migration to the US, saying: “Do not come. Do not come. The United States will continue to enforce our laws and secure our borders.”
“If you come to our border, you will be turned back,” BBC quoted Harris as saying.
Harris said she wanted the US and Guatemala to “work together” to find solutions to “long-standing problems”.
“It must be coupled with relationships of trust. It must be coupled with tangible outcomes, in terms of what we do as leaders to convince people that there is a reason to be hopeful about their future and the future of their children,” Harris was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, President Giammattei defended his government’s own record of fighting corruption and said the fight against drug trafficking should be an key part of tackling the issue.
The vice president arrived in Guatemala City following a technical issue with her aircraft that delayed the departure.
Harris was welcomed by Foreign Affairs Pedro Brolo ans US Ambassador to Guatemala William Popp at about 6.30 p.m., on Sunday.
Less than half an hour after taking off from a military airfield near Washington, the government plane Harris was travelling on had to return to the airport in order to be changed out, according to spokeswoman Symone Sanders.
“It is a technical issue. There are no major safety concerns,” she said.
Sanders later told reporters that the Air Force Two crew noticed an issue with the landing gear, which was not storing as it should, adding that the plane turned around “out of an abundance of caution”.
Harris’ official visit to Guatemala and Mexico on Monday and Tuesday will focus on migration and economic cooperation.
President Joe Biden has tasked Harris with taking the lead on curbing migration to the US.
The trip got off to a rocky start when Harris’ plane returned to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland about 30 minutes after takeoff because of a problem with the landing gear, reports Asian Lite News
Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Guatemala after some technical issues with her plane, which caused a minor delay in her first international trip as vice president.
“The vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris, arrived in Guatemala this Sunday to begin a work tour that includes a dialogue with the president @DrGiammattei,” the Guatemalan government tweeted.
According to Russian news agency Sputnik, Harris had to return to Joint Base Andrews shortly after her plane took off for Latin America on Sunday. The glitch in the plane’s landing gear was apparently caused by technical issues that forced her to switch to another Air Force Two airplane.
During her first foreign trip as vice president, Harris is expected to meet with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Monday. Thereafter, in a follow-up trip to Mexico, Harris will hold talks with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday.
I’m here in Guatemala City for my first international trip as Vice President. I look forward to meeting with President @DrGiammattei and community leaders. pic.twitter.com/HHCWRt2zBi
Harris’ international trip comes amid the US border crisis, alongside Mexico and Guatemala.
Harris has been tasked by President Joe Biden with addressing the root causes of the spike in migration to the US-Mexico border, and her aides say corruption will be a central focus of her meetings with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Monday and Mexico’s Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday.
“Corruption really does sap the the wealth of any country, and in Central America is at a scale where it is a large percentage of GDP across the region. We see corruption as one of the most important root causes to be dealt with,” said special envoy Ricardo Zuniga.
Harris is seeking to secure commitments from Guatemala and Mexico for greater cooperation on border security and economic investment, and aides say she will also discuss vaccine sharing during her meetings. But corruption in the region — a far more intractable challenge — will complicate her efforts.
It’s already had a significant impact on her work in Central America. Harris has yet to engage substantively with the leaders of Honduras and El Salvador, who are both embroiled in corruption scandals.
Giammattei has faced criticism over corruption within his own government. Zuniga acknowledged that the U.S. government faces a challenge in working with him but argued Harris was in the country in part to have a direct conversation with the president about this and other issues.
“The best way to deal with these cases where you have a very complex relationship in a country like Guatemala is to talk clearly and plainly as partners, as countries that have to get along” he said.
Harris has laid out an approach centered on creating better opportunities and living conditions in the region through humanitarian and economic aid. She announced plans to send $310 million to provide support for refugees and address food shortages, and recently secured commitments from a dozen companies and organizations to invest in the Northern Triangle countries to promote economic opportunity and job training.
Washington won some goodwill through its vaccine diplomacy this past week. Giammattei and López Obrador both received calls from Harris on Thursday telling them the U.S. would be sending 500,000 doses and 1 million doses, respectively, of COVID-19 vaccine.
While in Guatemala, Harris also plans to meet community leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs. In Mexico, she will speak with female entrepreneurs and hold a roundtable with labor workers.
Kamala Harris
She’s underscored the need to address corruption in public remarks and events. In a May meeting with a number of leading voices on Guatemala’s justice system, she noted her work as a prosecutor and said that “injustice is a root cause of migration.”
“Part of giving people hope is having a very specific commitment to rooting out corruption in the region,” she said.
Harris has also raised the issue during virtual meetings with the leaders of both countries, and aides say she will do it again during meetings on her trip. During their past conversations, they have discussed areas of mutual interest — improving port security, fighting smuggling networks, going after corrupt actors — and the goal of this trip is to turn that talk into action, aides say.
While the vice president will make announcements concerning new efforts at cooperation and new programs, she’s not expected to announce any new aid during her trip.
While in Latin America, Harris will also have to navigate the politics of immigration. Congressional Republicans have criticized both Biden and Harris for deciding not to visit the border, and contend the administration is ignoring what they say is a crisis there. April was the second-busiest month on record for unaccompanied children encountered at the U.S.-Mexico border, following March’s all-time high. The Border Patrol’s total encounters in April were up 3% from March, marking the highest level since April 2000.
Conservatives will be watching Harris closely for any missteps, hoping to drag her into further controversy on an issue that they see as a political winner.
In her efforts to win commitments on corruption from the region’s leaders, Harris can point to a number of moves by the Biden administration last week.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the problem during his own recent trip to Central America. The White House issued a memo elevating foreign corruption to a major national security issue, and directed all federal agencies to prioritize it and modernize their foreign corruption-fighting tools.
UK Home Secretary hailed the introduction of the new points-based immigration system, noting it will help bring top talent into the country…reports Asian Lite News
UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has promised a “wholesale reform” of the country’s immigration system, and unveiled plans for a “fully digital border” that is expected to better track migration.
The UK’s immigration system is “broken” and needs to be fixed, she said in a speech delivered to a conference organised by Bright Blue, a think tank for liberal conservatism, here on monday.
Patel said anything short of a “wholesale reform” of the system “would not be fair” as public confidence in it had been “shot to pieces” over the past few decades, Xinhua news agency reported.
She hailed the introduction of the new points-based immigration system, noting it will help bring top talent into the country.
Patel also launched the US-style Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which requires visitors to the UK to obtain an electronic permit before travelling.
A “fully digital border” system will make the uk safer by allowing the government to count people entering and leaving the country, providing a “far clearer picture of who is here, and whether they should be”, she said.
A detailed policy statement, posted later in the day on the government website, said these reforms will ensure UK businesses’ access to talent from across the world to support the national economic recovery as well as the security of the country.
