This week, the Global Immigration team at Smith Stone Walters highlights significant recent developments from the United States, Canada, and Hong Kong.
United States: Expanded Travel Ban and Student Visa Restrictions
On June 4, 2025, the U.S. administration announced a new travel ban effective June 9, barring nationals from 12 countries—Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen—from entering the country. Additionally, entry is partially restricted for seven other nationalities (Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela) through bans on obtaining B1/B2, F, M, and J visas.
Several exceptions apply, including valid visa holders, lawful permanent residents, immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, dual nationals traveling on passports from non-restricted countries, participants in upcoming major sporting events, and holders of Afghan Special Immigrant Visas.
In a related move, the administration suspended the issuance and entry of F, M, and J visas for foreign nationals seeking to study at Harvard University, effective immediately and for at least six months. The proclamation also instructs a review of whether to revoke visas currently held by Harvard students and to consider limiting Harvard’s participation in the Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
Further complicating student visa processing, a confidential State Department cable dated May 27 reportedly instructs embassies and consulates to pause scheduling new interviews for F, M, and J visas. This pause precedes an expansion of social media screening and vetting requirements, though official details remain undisclosed. Foreign nationals with these visa statuses are advised to carefully consider travel plans outside the U.S. due to potential immigration consequences.
Canada: Stricter Rules on Maintained Status for Temporary Residents
On May 28, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) updated guidelines concerning maintained status for temporary residents applying to extend their authorized stay. Maintained status allows temporary residents who apply for an extension before their current status expires to remain legally in Canada during processing, but only if they stay inside the country.
The revised rules clarify that if an initial extension application is rejected as incomplete, it is treated as never submitted, voiding any maintained status. Applicants may file subsequent applications if their circumstances change.
Critically, if a subsequent extension application is submitted before the original status expires, the applicant maintains status while the application is processed. However, if the subsequent application is filed after status expiry, the applicant loses maintained status and the application will be refused, requiring a restoration of status application. This contrasts with previous policy, where maintained status was granted without work or study rights during such periods.
Additionally, references to port-of-entry applications by those with maintained status have been removed, following the ban on “flagpoling”—the practice of temporarily exiting and re-entering Canada to access immigration services.
Hong Kong: New Entry Stream for Skilled Trades Professionals
On May 30, 2025, Hong Kong announced a new Technical Professionals Stream under the General Employment Policy (GEP) and Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP). This initiative allows non-degree professionals aged 18 to 40 to apply for entry in eight skilled trades experiencing acute labor shortages.
Effective June 30, 2025, the pilot program will run for three years with a total quota of 10,000, capped at 3,000 per trade. The designated trades include industrialisation technicians, nurses, aircraft maintenance technicians, marine services technicians, IT technicians, lift/escalator technicians, building information modelling coordinators, and electrical technicians.
Applicants must meet qualifications, work experience, and licensing requirements for their trade and have secured a local employment offer with market-level remuneration. Initial visas will be valid for 24 to 36 months, with renewals conditional on continued employment in the same trade.
Employers hiring through the new stream will be exempt from conducting market availability tests, aligning with existing exemptions under the GEP and ASMTP for professions listed on the Talent List.
Related topics:
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- Thousands Rally in New York City to Protest Immigration Raids
- LA Protests and National Guard Deployment Follow Immigration Raids
