Before the year ends: the dates Indians abroad should not miss

This is the first From the Editor’s Desk column. Every Monday I will write here about the change of the week that matters most to Indians abroad, and say plainly what you should do about it. I am starting not with a single story but with a calendar, because over the next nine weeks several countries have dates that can cost you later if you miss them.

3 November: Canada favours high-wage jobs

From 3 November, Canada’s Express Entry gives up to 100 CRS points for a job offer, and up to 70 extra points for at least a year of Canadian work experience in such occupations. The catch is that the occupation must be on IRCC’s high-wage list, which depends on the median wage of the occupation, not on your own salary. A qualifying job offer will no longer need an LMIA. IRCC’s news release asks candidates who want points for a qualifying job offer to update their profiles before 3 November; until the online system is updated, its changes page explains how to enter such an offer. IRCC will pause draws for up to two weeks while it recalculates scores. The full story: Canada’s new Express Entry points.

9, 10 and 13 November: three US proposals

Three US proposals are now open for public comment, and all three bear directly on Indian students and professionals:

• 9 November: a proposed fee of $70,000 on an F-1 student’s first OPT period and $30,000 on each later OPT period. (Full story)
• 10 November: a proposal to end the grace period of up to 60 days that H-1B, L-1 and some other visa holders get when their job ends.
• 13 November: a proposal to drop the rule that officers defer to an earlier approval when deciding a same-employer extension. (Story on both)

In my view the most important point is that none of these rules is in force. The current position holds until a final rule is published, and that difference is worth understanding before anyone makes a decision in panic. Comments can be filed on Regulations.gov; comments sent by email or post will not be considered.

10 November: New Zealand’s first parent visa draw

New Zealand has replaced most of the ballot for its Parent Resident Visa with a queue: about 90% of expressions of interest will be picked in date order and about 10% by ballot. The first selection under the new system is on 10 November. (Full story)

30 November and 31 December: the UK

From 30 November, UK Student visa applicants must show £1,570 a month for a course in London and £1,203 a month elsewhere, for up to nine months. (Full story) For students finishing a UK degree, 31 December is the big date. Applications made by then get a two-year Graduate visa after a bachelor’s or master’s degree; from 1 January 2027 it will be 18 months. PhD graduates keep three years. (Full story)

31 December: FAST-DS in India

For people who have returned to India and left a foreign asset or account out of their tax return, the FAST-DS scheme is open until 31 December 2026. Assets worth up to ₹5 crore bought from income earned abroad as an NRI, or from income already taxed in India, can be regularised for a fee of ₹1 lakh. In other cases, up to ₹1 crore in all, the cost is 30% tax plus a penalty of the same amount. (Full story)

What it means for you

One pattern runs through these dates. In the UK, the routes for study and work are getting costlier and tighter, US proposals point the same way, and Canada is pushing ahead people with certain skills. My advice is simple:

1. Put the date that applies to you in your calendar today, and do not leave a deadline to its last week.
2. Do not make a big decision on something that is still only a proposal; our stories will tell you when a final rule arrives and what it says.
3. Where the stakes are high on a visa, tax or property matter, read the official page and take advice from a qualified lawyer or chartered accountant.

These dates, with their official links, are kept up to date in the Key dates and deadlines box on our homepage. See you next Monday.