Canada’s new pathway to residency for international graduates has reached its 40,000 application limit, just over one day after going live. 

Canada has announced a pathway to permanent residence for some 40,000 international graduates of Canadian institutions, as the government seeks to retain the talented workers it needs.

The USCIS has announced that from March 9 the H-1B visa system will be changed to prioritise applicants offered higher salaries, which stakeholders worry will "disproportionately" affect international students seeking entry level jobs in the country after graduation.

Canada will allow former international students with post-graduation work permits to apply for open work permits after Covid-19 "jeopardised" opportunities for them to gain the work experience needed for permanent residence applications.

The Harvard president has pleaded to president-elect Joe Biden to prioritise international students as US consulates resume routine visa services.

The Canadian government has announced plans to welcome some 1,233,000 new permanent residents into the country over three years from 2021, a move Universities Canada has welcomed as a “positive signal” to international students. 

The way in which unlawful presence is calculated in the US has returned to the pre-2018 system following two years of legal challenges from HEIs.

The Australian government has announced it will offer current and future Hong Kong international students a path to permanent residency.