Conference programme

The Covid-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, global economic downturn and shift in geopolitics have created an immigration landscape which is unrecognisable compared to that of the last in-person IBA Global Immigration Conference in 2019. Against the events of the last three years, our esteemed panel will discuss current and future global mobility trends, the race for talent (including the creation of immigration policies which support growth), humanitarian immigration issues and the global refugee crisis. The panel features policymakers, global mobility leaders, international humanitarian organisations, economists and political commentators.

As the world reopens after the global Covid-19 pandemic, how are employers responding to acute skills shortages, tight labour markets and increased demands for working from anywhere? Are immigration policymakers responding to these changes and what new programmes reflect these changes?

This session will look at the way in which lawyers, NGOs civil society and lawmakers dealt with two major crises-the Taliban takeover and Afghan airlift in September 2021 and the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. To what extend did the later crises put the earlier one it’s in shadow? How have lawyers navigated the complexities of assisting refugees to leave where there are no safe and legal routes, and how does the treatment of Afghan refugees differ from the temporary protection instruments available to Ukrainians at EU and national level?

With the closure of the investor route in the United Kingdom, the issues with the EB-5 route in the United States, the European Union’s infringement proceedings against Malta and Cyprus, and the closure of many of the economic citizenship schemes and global sanctions, how can clients navigate through the complexities of obtaining residence or citizenship by investment?

Post the Pandemic assignee experience has been a key focus for companies moving their employees around the world and there is an emphasis on policies and resources that support employees mental, physical and financial health wherever they are located. There is also a focus on meaningful ethical and sustainability strategies. Climate change, travel costs and COVID -19 have caused businesses to rethink policies. Companies are also battling with remote work policies as more employees wish to work remotely. How is business and the vendors which support business managing with these significant changes?

A number of governments have pivoted quickly to incorporate the latest technology into their immigration processes and systems. But is this technology, including facial recognition software and AI algorithms, reliable and does it create unfair outcomes? What does it mean for individual rights?

As countries battle to attract the brightest and the best, this panel will look at the latest developments in efforts to attract the highly skilled and talented migrants, particularly those with STEM skills. Are these schemes working? Are governments measuring how successful their programmes are?

International travel is back with a bang. With the world on the move again, how should travellers best prepare for business travel in light of ongoing restrictions and greater awareness of the environmental impact of travel? How will the introduction of the new ESTA-like UK Electronic Travel Authorisation and EU ETIAS affect business travellers? 

A survey of current temporary visa and permanent immigration options and Hot Topics including:

• New immigration policies of the Biden Administration
• Work visa options including H-1, L-1, E, O-1, TN and other categories
• Strategies to remediate legacy processing delays and restrictive policies of the anti-immigration Trump Era
• Canada immigration update
• Mexico immigration update
• A look ahead at possible changes in US and Canadian immigration policies in 2023 and beyond

A quick-fire update on new visa categories around the world, developing trends in visa policy, including digital nomads amongst others.