Abroadesh Manpower Solutions

Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has announced updated Employment Pass (EP) salary benchmarks for 2027 under the COMPASS points-based assessment framework. For new EP applications filed from January 1, 2027, the qualifying salary floor will increase from S$5,600 to S$6,000 per month for general sectors and from S$6,200 to S$6,600 for financial services. The age-scaled salary requirements will also rise, reaching S$11,500 for general sectors and S$12,700 for financial services for applicants aged 45 and above. The updated salary benchmarks are important because salary is assessed under the C1 criterion of COMPASS. An EP application generally needs at least 40 COMPASS points, while the C1 salary criterion can provide 10 or 20 points when the applicant's fixed monthly salary meets the applicable benchmark. A salary below the relevant C1 benchmark receives zero C1 points, meaning the applicant must obtain sufficient points through other COMPASS criteria. Applicants earning S$...

India has expanded its international e-Visa entry network with 11 locations listed in a Ministry of Home Affairs announcement dated August 10, 2026, taking the stated total number of authorised e-Visa entry points to 88. The network now comprises 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports. The two airports listed as newly added are Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. Nine land ports are also listed: Agartala, Darranga, Gede, Ghojadanga, Haridaspur, Jaigaon, Dawki, Moreh and Attari (Road), covering land connections with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Pakistan. However, there is an important discrepancy in the announcement. Darranga had already been listed as an authorised e-Visa land port after being added in March 2026, yet it appears again among the newly added locations. This means the actual number of genuinely new locations may be 10 rather than 11. The government has not yet clarified the discrepancy. The official Indian e-Visa portal had not yet reflected th...

The US Department of Homeland Security is expanding the 9-11 Response and Biometric Entry-Exit Fee to certain H-1B and L-1 extension-of-stay petitions. The rule was published in the Federal Register on August 10, 2026, and is scheduled to take effect 30 days later, on September 9, 2026, if the publication schedule remains unchanged. Under the new rule, covered US employers will pay a $4,000 fee for H-1B petitions and $4,500 for L-1 petitions. The fee does not apply directly to the visa holder. It applies only to employers with at least 50 US employees where more than 50% of the US workforce holds H-1B or L-1 status. Previously, the fee applied to initial H-1B and L-1 petitions and change-of-employer filings. The expansion now includes extension-of-stay petitions for existing employees, including routine same-employer extensions where no other change is requested. Amended petitions that do not request an extension of stay are exempt. This fee is separate from the proposed $100,000 H-1B ...

Ireland's Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) confirmed 32 changes to occupations eligible for employment permits, effective from May 29, 2026. Although the update is now more than two months old, the revised arrangements remain in effect and continue to affect foreign workers and employers applying for Irish employment permits. Six occupations were added to the Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) list: Agronomist, Construction Planner/Scheduler, Community Eye Care Specialist, Intellectual Property Professional, Geospatial Surveyor (Land Surveyor/Geomatics Surveyor), and Rigger (Games Industry). Nine occupations were removed from the Ineligible Occupations List and can now qualify for General Employment Permits (GEPs) without quota restrictions. These include Pharmaceutical Technicians, Dental Hygienists, Plastic Lining Technicians, Steel Fixers, Fencing Operators/Erectors, Curtain Wallers, Printers, Industrial Machine Knitters, and Concrete Pump Operators....

A reputed heavy civil infrastructure company in Bahrain is recruiting for a long-term project through direct recruitment across labour, civil, piping, structural, safety, planning and heavy-equipment positions. The requirement includes Labours, Pipe Fitters, GRP Laminators, Structural Welders, Civil Foremen, Safety Officers, Project Planners, Shuttering Carpenters, Masons, Steel Fixers, Grader Operators and Excavator Operators. Salaries range from BHD 100 to BHD 200 for specified positions, with food included, while the Project Planner salary is negotiable. The requirement includes 85 Labours at BHD 100, 25 Pipe Fitters at BHD 130, 25 GRP Laminators at BHD 130, 10 Structural Welders at BHD 130, 10 Civil Foremen at BHD 200, 15 Safety Officers at BHD 200, 5 Project Planners on negotiable salary, 20 Shuttering Carpenters, 20 Masons and 15 Steel Fixers at BHD 120, 10 Grader Operators at BHD 180, 5 Excavator Operators with Vibro at BHD 170, and 10 Excavator Operators at BHD 160. Eligibility...

From 24 August 2026, Immigration New Zealand is introducing two new residence pathways under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa, bringing the category to three routes alongside the existing points-based pathway. The new Skilled Work Experience Pathway is designed for applicants working in, or holding a job offer for, ANZSCO Skill Level 1 to 3 occupations. It requires at least three years of relevant work experience gained within the previous 10 years, followed by two separate years of qualifying skilled work experience in New Zealand at or above the SMC wage threshold. Applicants using this route do not need to meet the standard six-point requirement. The new Trades and Technician Pathway is aimed at skilled trades and technical workers and is based on relevant qualifications and qualifying work experience. Applicants may need to provide employment agreements, job descriptions, tax records and certificates of service for overseas experience. Self-employment does not count...