Immigration rule changes in 2023
62 dated rule changes recorded in 2023, from 2023-01-01 to 2023-11-18. Each item links to the programme page and the official source we recorded it from. This is a record of what we captured, not a complete legislative history.
← All updates & policy changes
November 2023 (4)
Germany EU Blue Card: EU Blue Card thresholds updated; shortage occupations expanded.
source →Italy EU Blue Card: EU member states, including Italy, were required to transpose the recast EU Blue Card Directive (EU) 2021/1883 by this date, which lowered salary thresholds relative to the original 2009 Blue Card Directive, shortened minimum contract-length requirements, eased family reunification, and allowed limited accumulation of qualifying residence periods across member states. Italy's specific national transposition decree details were not independently confirmed.
source →Canada Study Permit: Student Direct Stream (SDS) discontinued; all study permit applicants are now processed through the standard stream regardless of country of residence.
source →India Business Visa: India expanded the list of nationalities eligible for e-Business Visa and increased the validity for some categories to 5 years with multiple-entry. The e-BV system at indianvisaonline.gov.in updated to streamline applications with faster processing targets of 3-5 business days.
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October 2023 (10)
Portugal D1 Visa (Subordinate Work / Dependent Employment Visa): SEF dissolved and replaced by AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo); transition caused significant appointment backlogs affecting D1 residence-card processing.
source →Portugal D2 Entrepreneur / Independent Worker Visa: SEF dissolved and replaced by AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo). Transition caused significant appointment backlogs.
source →Portugal D3 Visa (Highly Qualified Activity Visa): SEF dissolved and replaced by AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo); transition caused significant appointment backlogs affecting D3 residence-card processing.
source →Portugal Family Reunification Visa (D6): SEF dissolved and replaced by AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo), the agency now responsible for processing family reunification applications; transition caused significant appointment backlogs.
source →Portugal D7 Passive Income Visa: SEF dissolved and replaced by AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo). Transition caused significant appointment backlogs.
source →Portugal Golden Visa (ARI): SEF dissolved; AIMA replacement caused massive processing backlogs.
source →New Zealand Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa: Skilled Migrant Category fundamentally reformed. New 6-point system replaced old 160-point system. Core change: NZ employment or accredited job offer is now the foundation of eligibility. Green List retained and expanded. EOI pools drawn every 2 weeks instead of fortnightly random draws.
source →Portugal Golden Visa (ARI): Mais Habitação law eliminated real estate as qualifying Golden Visa investment. Fund investment (€500k), research contribution, arts/heritage, and job creation routes remain.
source →South Africa Critical Skills Work Visa: Critical Skills List reissued under Government Gazette notice — ICT, engineering, artisanal trades refined; some removals.
source →Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment: NDF contribution thresholds revised upward. Due diligence requirements enhanced following CARICOM regional review and international AML/CFT pressure. Updated programme documentation published by the CIU.
Antigua and Barbuda rule changes
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September 2023 (6)
St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment: St Kitts and Nevis temporarily suspended acceptance of new applications from Russian and Belarusian nationals following international sanctions pressure applied to Caribbean CBI jurisdictions. The suspension remains in effect and is subject to ongoing policy review.
St Kitts and Nevis rule changes
source →Irish Citizenship by Descent / Foreign Births Registration: The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced a new online Foreign Births Registration system to partially replace the paper-based process, aiming to reduce the processing backlog. As of early 2025, the backlog remains approximately 30 months.
source →Israel Aliyah (Law of Return): Nefesh B'Nefesh and Israeli government extended chartered Aliyah-flight programme to additional source countries.
source →Singapore Employment Pass: COMPASS (Complementarity Assessment Framework) became mandatory for all new Employment Pass applications from 1 September 2023. COMPASS adds a points-based assessment on top of the salary threshold, evaluating salary vs peers, qualifications, nationality diversity, and local employment support. Minimum 40 points required to pass.
source →Singapore Employment Pass: EP minimum qualifying salary raised to SGD 5,600/month (general) and SGD 6,800/month (financial services sector), up from SGD 4,500 and SGD 5,000 respectively. Older applicants require proportionally higher salaries.
source →Singapore EntrePass: Singapore expanded the list of accredited incubators qualifying for EntrePass to include more technology-sector incubators. Check current MOM list for latest accredited organisations.
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August 2023 (3)
Italy Elective Residence Visa: Italy tightened documentation of passive income source; consulates increased scrutiny of "active" income disguised as passive.
source →Greece Golden Visa: Short-term rental restrictions introduced in specific Athens districts.
source →Indonesia Golden Visa: Indonesia officially launched the Golden Visa program under Government Regulation 22/2023 (implementing the 2011 Immigration Law). Investment thresholds: individual USD 350,000 (5-yr) or USD 700,000 (10-yr) via Bank Indonesia deposit; corporate USD 2.5M (5-yr) or USD 5M (10-yr). Visa grants multi-entry residence permit (e-KITAS/e-KITAP).
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July 2023 (5)
Estonia Startup Visa: Startup Estonia expanded committee coverage and simplified scale-up definitions; evaluation process streamlined.
source →St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment: Major programme reform: the Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC) replaced the previous Citizenship by Investment Fund (CIF). The minimum donation was raised to USD 250,000 for a single applicant (from USD 150,000) and to USD 295,000 for a family of four. The real estate investment minimum was simultaneously raised from USD 200,000 to USD 400,000. Enhanced due diligence requirements were introduced, including mandatory in-person or virtual interviews for applicants meeting certain risk criteria. The 2023 reform aligned St Kitts pricing broadly with regional peers and responded to FATF and OECD scrutiny of Caribbean CBI programmes.
St Kitts and Nevis rule changes
source →Australia Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417): Age limit for Working Holiday visa (417) extended to 35 years for nationals of UK, Ireland, Canada, France, and Italy. Previously 30 for all eligible nationalities.
source →Thailand Privilege (Elite) Visa: Thailand Elite programme rebranded to Thailand Privilege Card. New membership tiers introduced: Privilege Entry (5yr), Privilege Residence (10yr), Privilege Reserve (20yr), Elite Ultimate Privilege (20yr). Prior tier names retired.
source →UK Student Visa: Graduate Route confirmed retained (following the Migration Advisory Committee review) at 2 years post-undergraduate/master's and 3 years post-PhD, without a minimum salary requirement.
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June 2023 (7)
Japan Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Visa: Japan announced expansion of SSW-2 eligibility from 2 sectors (construction and shipbuilding) to 9 sectors, significantly broadening the path to indefinite-renewal status and family accompaniment for SSW workers.
source →Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment (DSP / VDSP): Vanuatu introduced a package of enhanced due-diligence reforms including mandatory third-party background checks by accredited screening firms and tightened document-authentication requirements, announced as part of an effort to address EU concerns and seek restoration of Schengen access.
source →Dubai Freelance Visa (TECOM / Free Zone Permit): UAE Corporate Tax Law effective June 2023. Freelancers operating as UAE sole establishments are subject to 9% corporate tax on profits above AED 375,000/yr. Small Business Relief (revenue ≤ AED 3M) provides effective 0% rate for most individual freelancers.
United Arab Emirates rule changes
source →Paraguay Permanent Residency: Naturalisation (citizenship) applications after the 3-year residency period have faced stricter in-practice scrutiny, with authorities more consistently requiring proof of real-estate ownership or a long-term lease, an in-person interview, and demonstrated basic Spanish or Guaraní proficiency — requirements that exist in law but were inconsistently enforced in earlier years.
source →Philippines Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV): Philippine Bureau of Immigration reaffirmed SIRV qualifying investment categories. Government securities and PSE-listed stocks remain eligible. BI updated processing procedures for SIRV applications to require BSP registration documentation as mandatory submission to reduce fraud risk.
source →South Korea D-8 Investor Visa: Korean immigration streamlined D-8 company formation requirements in coordination with KOTRA one-stop investment support centres. KOTRA now provides expedited foreign investment certificate for amounts above KRW 100M.
source →UAE Golden Visa: UAE Federal Corporate Tax Law effective 1 June 2023. 9% tax on taxable profits exceeding AED 375,000/yr. UAE free zone entities with qualifying income may retain 0% rate if they meet substance requirements.
United Arab Emirates rule changes
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May 2023 (1)
Canada Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker): Category-based Express Entry draws launched: healthcare, STEM, trades, transport, agriculture, French speakers.
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April 2023 (10)
UK Innovator Founder Visa: £50,000 minimum investment requirement removed. Replaced with stricter "innovative, viable, scalable" business plan assessment.
source →Greece Skilled Worker Visa (Type D): Law 5038/2023 consolidated and modernised the Greek immigration framework, including skilled worker and Blue Card routes
source →India Employment Visa: India FRRO switched to fully online e-FRRO registration system, eliminating in-person FRRO visits for Employment Visa registration. Applicants now register at indianfrro.gov.in with digital document upload. Processing time approximately 5-10 working days.
source →Italy Self-Employment Visa: Decreto flussi 2023-2025 adopted multi-year framework increasing visibility but quotas remain small
source →Japan Business Manager Visa: Japan's Startup Visa programme expanded in cooperation with specific municipalities (Tokyo, Fukuoka, Osaka). Allows entrepreneurs to enter Japan for up to 6 months without a full Business Manager CoE, to establish their company during that period. Separate from standard Business Manager visa.
source →Japan Highly Skilled Professional Visa: J-Skip pathway launched: HSP applicants scoring 80+ points may enter Japan without a pre-arranged employer for up to 6 months (Activity Status: "Highly Skilled Professional (predefined activities)"). Replaces older "Job Seeker" concept for HSP-tier applicants.
source →Japan Highly Skilled Professional Visa: J-Find pathway launched: graduates of top-ranked universities (QS/Times top 100) within 5 years of graduation may enter Japan on a dedicated job-hunting status for up to 2 years without a specific employer.
source →Japan Highly Skilled Professional Visa: HSP point bonus added for graduates of Japanese universities and for candidates with N1/N2 Japanese language certification, raising bonus points and making the 70-point threshold easier to clear.
source →Japan J-Find Visa (Job-Seeking for Top University Graduates): J-Find status was newly introduced, allowing graduates of top-ranked global universities to enter Japan for up to 2 years to search for skilled employment or prepare a business without a prior job offer — a departure from Japan's historical employer-first work-visa model.
source →Japan J-Skip Visa (Highly Skilled Professional Fast-Track): J-Skip status was newly introduced, letting applicants earning at least ¥20,000,000/year with a master's degree (or 10+ years' relevant experience) bypass the standard 70-point Highly Skilled Professional points calculation and qualify for a 1-year fast-track to permanent residency.
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March 2023 (2)
Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Investment: IMF Article IV consultation confirmed Dominica's CBI revenues represent a material share of government receipts. IMF noted improvements in AML/CFT compliance, transparent reporting, and due-diligence standards.
source →Egyptian Citizenship by Investment: Egypt amended citizenship-by-investment thresholds following significant Egyptian pound devaluation. USD-denominated minimums were adjusted upward to maintain equivalent real-value requirements. Applicants should confirm current thresholds directly with GAFI as EGP-denominated figures have changed multiple times.
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February 2023 (1)
Ireland Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP): Ireland Immigrant Investor Programme closed to new applications.
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January 2023 (13)
St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment: Caribbean-wide CBI pricing harmonisation began in earnest as St Kitts, Antigua, Grenada, and St Lucia each revised their minimum investment thresholds upward, partly in response to OECD Forum on Harmful Tax Practices peer reviews and FATF recommendations on AML/CFT standards applicable to citizenship-by-investment programmes.
St Kitts and Nevis rule changes
source →St Lucia Citizenship by Investment: St Lucia aligned its due-diligence framework with the CARICOM regional standard, introducing enhanced mandatory background checks and third-party screening for all adult applicants.
source →Turkish Citizenship by Investment: Turkey introduced enhanced AML/CFT due-diligence requirements for citizenship applicants, including more rigorous source-of-funds documentation, following FATF scrutiny of Turkish real estate market exposure to illicit finance.
source →Austrian Citizenship by Descent (§58c Victims of National Socialism + §10 Jus Sanguinis): BMI clarified guidance for §58c applications via foreign missions, standardising the evidentiary checklist and confirming that descendants of stateless persons rendered stateless by NS racial decrees are also eligible.
source →Australia Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417): Third-year Working Holiday visa now available to those who complete 179 days of specified regional work across the first two years. Previously only two years of 417 were possible for most applicants.
source →Georgia Small Business / Individual Entrepreneur Visa: Real-estate residence threshold reduced to USD 100,000 (from USD 300,000 earlier).
source →Philippines Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV): PRA updated SRRV Smile deposit requirements: Ages 35-49 require USD 20,000 deposit (unchanged). Ages 50+ reduced to USD 10,000 (previously USD 20,000 for non-pensioners). SRRV Classic remains USD 10,000 deposit with USD 800/mo pension. Annual fees unchanged at USD 360/yr principal.
source →Singapore EntrePass: MOM tightened EntrePass eligibility criteria, requiring that VC/angel investment be from MAS-licensed VCs or an updated list of Singapore-recognised business angels. Informal investment arrangements excluded.
source →Singapore ONE Pass (Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass): Singapore ONE Pass (Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass) officially launched in January 2023. Replaces the older "Personalised Employment Pass" (PEP) for the top talent tier. 5-year validity, renewable, allows multiple employers and business ownership simultaneously, SGD 30,000/month salary threshold.
source →Singapore ONE Pass (Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass): ONE Pass spouse work rights: the dependent spouse of a ONE Pass holder is automatically authorised to work in Singapore without requiring a separate work pass application — an explicit new entitlement not available under the prior Personalised Employment Pass.
source →Spain Digital Nomad Visa: Digital Nomad Visa launched under Startup Act 2023; provided first formal remote worker pathway.
source →Spain Startup Visa (Entrepreneur Visa – Law 14/2013): Law 28/2022 (Startup Act / Ley de Startups) amended Law 14/2013, introducing improved conditions including faster processing targets (20 business days), extension of initial authorisation period, and introduction of the separate digital nomad visa alongside the existing entrepreneur route.
source →Uruguay Ordinary Residence Permit (Residencia Permanente): Uruguay's Ley de Migración (Law 19.254) framework remains in force; no material changes to the ordinary residency income threshold or documentation requirements were enacted in 2022-2023, though processing times have lengthened due to increased applicant volumes from Venezuela and Cuba.
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