The Immigration Conversation | Presented by Fragomen

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Partner Marius Tollenaere and Director Audrey Morew discuss and compare German and Nordic immigration reforms, systems, and processes. The Nordic Region consists of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland, as well as the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland. Marius and Audrey also discuss employment and skills-based immigration, and the requirements that vary from country to country such as the connection between one's education and job type.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Senior Manager Shuyeb Muquit is joined again by Social Market Foundation’s Senior Fellow Jonathan Thomas for a discussion on UK immigration policy, the evolution of the country's immigration system, and common themes seen throughout various reports. One report referenced includes “The Whole of the Moon,” an independent report by SMF, sponsored by Fragomen. The report analyses the UK immigration system and its policies for dealing with labour shortages. Read the report here. You can also listen to Shuyeb and Jonathan's previous podcast conversation here and view our Mobility Minute on the topic here.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Partner Kenneth Lau, Senior Manager Ramona Perera, Senior Business Immigration Consultant David Harvey, and Business Immigration Consultant II Sherwin Gan discuss in-depth the long-awaited release of a draft amendment to the Vietnam Ministry of Labour's Labour Decree 152. The draft amendment appears to clear up some of the confusion about the Decree’s intent and provide concessions to the business community surrounding work permits. Gain key insights into what led to this moment, the current state of Vietnam's immigration and work permit system following its post-pandemic border re-opening, and the next steps in the process.

Senior Manager Shuyeb Muquit is joined by Social Market Foundation's Senior Fellow Jonathan Thomas to discuss "The Whole of the Moon," an independent report by SMF, sponsored by Fragomen. The report analyses the UK immigration system and its policies for dealing with labour shortages. Read the report here. You can also view our Mobility Minute on the topic here.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Senior Managers Kelly Hardman and Margot Rikmanspoel and Senior Associate Tarik Elhadidi discuss immigration trends and considerations across the energy sector. Immigration is an essential issue across the energy arena, particularly within the offshore sector and maritime industry. Despite their rebounding following the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of other economic and geopolitical factors continue to play a role in how employers approach the movement and attraction of talent in this niche area.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Senior Director Roy Ren and Director Iris Zhang join us from Fragomen’s Shanghai office to share their insights on China’s Visa on Arrival. Also known as VoA or Port Visa, Visa on Arrival allows travelers to obtain a single entry, maximum 30-day visa upon arrival at entry ports. This episode provides an overview of the advantages of choosing a Visa on Arrival instead of a normal visa. It also expands on the requirements and steps to obtaining China’s Visa on Arrival. You will also learn how Fragomen’s China team is able to provide end-to-end assistance for obtaining a Visa on Arrival as part of Fragomen’s full spectrum China immigration services. Please note this episode is recorded in Chinese.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Podcast, Pro Bono Director Barbara Camacho speaks with Fragomen Fellow Lucia Damerau and Associate Ana Gabriela Urizar about the twin sisters' personal immigration journeys. Growing up in a small town in Guatemala, Lucia and Ana Gabriela eventually arrived in New York City, finding their footing in a bustling environment and surrounded by new cultures and languages. Their drive and ambition led them to not only successfully adjusting to a new life in the United States, but also to completing law school after college. Ultimately, both Lucia and Ana Gabriela pursued careers in immigration law because of the impact of their own experiences as immigrants.

In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Responsible Business Practices Partner Lisa Koenig connects with Partners Leonor Echeverria and Siobhan Owers about Fragomen's sustainability journey. During the conversation, they share updates on initiatives and progress within their particular offices and regions, ideas to scale sustainability programs globally, and new learnings from clients that are impacting the sustainability space.

In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Partner Azeem Mohiuddin and Associate Jake Paul Minster discuss the immigration impacts of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, along with what to expect as the 2026 World Cup approaches. As they look back on last year’s momentous event, Azeem and Jake touch on some of the many “firsts” of the 2022 World Cup that made it so significant: it was the first tournament to be held in the Middle East, the first tournament to be held during the colder months and the first tournament that included three female officials. They review how immigration processes were affected by these firsts and the importance of planning in advance. Then, they look ahead to the 2026 World Cup and discuss a variety of immigration concerns surrounding the multi-country nature of the upcoming tournament. See the video version of this podcast here.

In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Senior Managers Angela Baker, Kelly Hardman and Maysie Pandor and Associate Sarah Melnick discuss the H-1B cap lottery, running through March 17, 2023.

In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Senior Associates Jordi Bayer and Mikhail (Mike) Izrailev discuss the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, focusing on some of the most common questions investors face and issues that arise during the EB-5 Green Card process.

In the latest episode of the Immigration Conversation, Partners Aaron Blumberg and David Crawford are joined by Betsy Fisher, U.S. Director at Talent Beyond Boundaries, for a conversation on refugee labor mobility and the opportunities new visa pathways provide for refugees to secure employment and fill labor shortages.

In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Partner Chad Ellsworth and Rina Montalvo, Head of Talent Mobility, Immigration and Flexible Work Program at Twitter discuss immigration challenges impacting the LGBTQ+ community and share insights for global mobility professionals to help advise and support LGBTQ+ colleagues as part of their immigration programs.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation Fragomen Partner Aaron Blumberg, CEO of Nomadic Brendan Ryan and Lead Architect for Emerging Technologies at Unisys Global Services India Sanket Panchamia discuss block chain technology and how it will revolutionize immigration and global mobility.

In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Fragomen Professionals Natalie Pike, Tarissa Silva Wareley and Dieudonne Maloba discuss the use of Visa on Arrival in Africa and explore why Visa on Arrival has become one of the more popular options when traveling to countries in Africa.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation, Fragomen Professionals Kenneth Lau, Angela De Guzman, Faye Amorado and Jung Un, Partner at Kim Chang Lee in Seoul, Korea discuss the rise of Korean Esports and the demand for the E-6 Culture and Entertainment Visa (E-6 Visa).

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation, Fragomen Professionals Jarred Milner, Tarissa Wareley and Jose Braz discuss navigating the entry requirements for Seafarers in Africa and the importance of having all appropriate processes in place prior to arriving at a port or entering a jurisdiction.

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation, Fragomen Partner, Aaron Blumberg, Pediatric Physician, Dr. Amanda Alladin, and Vanessa Paulman, Director of Immigration Services Office at UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester, MA discuss the current challenges facing foreign medical graduate's as well as the various J-1 waiver options, including the Conrad 30 now that we are in the midst of "Conrad 30 Season.”

In this “back to school” feature of The Immigration Conversation, Fragomen’s Julia Onslow- Cole from our London office spoke with special guest Horst Gallo, VP, HR Talent Management at IBM to discuss his passion for lifelong learning. Listen as Horst shares his perspectives on life, career, embracing different cultures and finding balance (with Warriors!).

In this episode of the Immigration Conversation, Fragomen’s Marius Tollenaere from our Frankfurt office is joined by Helen Dempster, Assistant Director, Center for Global Development (CGDEV) and Franziska Gehrmann, Advisor, on Partnership Approaches for Development-oriented Vocational Training and Labor Migration (PAM) Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to discuss the concept of global skill partnerships. This is in light of a study by CGDEV with the World Bank, published in July 2021, with a focus on skill partnerships. They will also discuss the potential application of the skill partnership model to Nigeria and Germany within the construction sector.