Indians can now visit Russia’s far east without visas

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has announced that tourists and businessmen from India and 17 other nations can visit his country’s far east without visas to boost tourism and investment in the region.

“I have recently approved the list of countries, whose nationals can take advantage of the preferential regime,” Medvedev said.

“We are pro actively forming the modern infrastructure and creating special regimes in the far east; the law on visits to the Vladivostok free port was approved in March,” he said.

Cancellation of visa procedures for tourists and businessmen “will promote growth of investment and tourist attractiveness of the far east,” the Prime Minister said.

The region will earn more money from tourist traffic growth, he added.

Eighteen countries from various regions selected by the reciprocity principle were included into the list, Medvedev said.

“This is not because these states are situated at a closer or longer distance - we are appropriately introducing bilateral agreements on visa-free travel for those ready to use such an approach for us,” he said. PTI

on Tuesday decided to abolish a popular work visa used by over 95,000 foreign workers, majority of them Indians, leaving New Delhi with no option but to examine the “consequences” of the move.

The programme, known as 457 visa, allows businesses in Australia to employ foreign workers for a period of up to four years in skilled jobs where there is a shortage of Australian workers.

“We are an immigration nation, but the fact remains: Australian workers must have priority for Australian jobs, so we are abolishing the 457 visa, the visa that brings temporary foreign workers into our country,” said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

According to sources, the majority of 457 visa holders were from India, accounting almost a quarter of the intake, followed by the UK and China at 19.5% and 5.8% respectively.

“We will no longer allow 457 visa to be passports to jobs that could and should go to Australians,” Turnbull, who was in India recently said.

He said Australia will adopt a new ‘Australians first’ approach to skilled migration, something similar to what the Trump administration has said.

“The government is examining consequences of the new policy in consultation with all stakeholders. This is also a matter we will be looking at in the context of Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) negotiations,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said on Tuesday.

We are an immigration nation, but... Australian workers must have priority for Australian jobs, so we are abolishing 457 visa that brings temporary foreign workers into our country