Draft Revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection

KEY PROPOSED CHANGES: NEW VISA CATEGORIES: - Skilled Worker Visa (replaces General Work + Critical Skills as single category) - Start-Up Visa (standalone for entrepreneurs with innovative ideas) - Sports and Arts Visa (performing artists and professionals) - Sectoral Work Visas (replaces Corporate Visas for specific industries) - Investment-based Residence Visa (replaces financially independent PR) CITIZENSHIP: - Points-based system for naturalization (replacing duration-only) - Citizenship Advisory Panel (CAP) - Ministerial discretion for strategic national interest cases - Dual citizenship affirmed GOVERNANCE: - Immigration Advisory Board (IAB) for policy oversight - Single Home Affairs review/appeals authority - Specialized Immigration Courts with IT case-tracking - Re-introduction of immigration practitioners (industry protection) WORK & FAMILY: - Relaxed PBS allowing foreign spouses to work/study/conduct business - Dependents can obtain own work visas - Administrative fines for overstayers (replacing blanket undesirability bans) DIGITAL: - Intelligent Population Register (IPR) with biometrics - Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) expansion Public comment deadline extended to January 2026 (Gazette 53954).