Latest / IMI Podcasts / This Week in IM - Nov 27: 🇫🇷 17 Myths about French Residency, 🇺🇲 California Floats Billionaire Tax, 🇮🇹 Proposes Nomad Tax Perks, ++

Transcript

This Week in IM - Nov 27: 🇫🇷 17 Myths about French Residency, 🇺🇲 California Floats Billionaire Tax, 🇮🇹 Proposes Nomad Tax Perks, ++ · IMI Podcasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: You're listening to IMI this week.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: The UK government has proposed a three-year indefinite leave to remain route for migrants earning£125,000 plus in what the government calls the largest immigration overhaul in 50 years.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: While this accelerates settlement for top earners, John Keeley warns it won't significantly affect wealth retention without restoring a dedicated investor category.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: He highlights that founders and investors often earn low salaries in early stages and will not benefit despite their economic contributions.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Italy will align its digital nomad visa with a dedicated tax incentive, notes IMI Pro Federico Salmoiraghi.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: He explains that the new digital nomad tax bonus would address gaps created by high eligibility thresholds and formal skill requirements.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: Italy wants a cohesive immigration tax framework that makes the country more competitive for talent.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: New IMI pro Victoria Teucarel, Director of Sales at RGVisa, describes a year marked by explosive interest in Romania and an influx of middle and upper middle class clients entering the investment migration market.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: Her passion for her country guides her mission to expand global awareness of the country's mobility pathways.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: A federal judge ruled that USCIS unlawfully raised EB5 fees without completing Reform and Integrity Act requirements, restoring all filing fees to pre-2024 levels.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: The decision, notes Ishan Khaner, delivers savings of more than$13,000 per investor and major reductions for regional centres.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: While the reinstated fees apply now, DHS has already proposed a new fee schedule for 2026, leaving long-term pricing uncertain.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: IMI Pro Charlie Maggie dismantles 17 common myths about France's immigration system, explaining that the passport talent is a highly structured multicategory residency framework, offering full four-year residency rights with no required stay, and a path to permanent residence or citizenship.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: UK lawmakers are pressuring the Prime Minister to revive an investor visa requiring at least£2.5 million investments in public services and infrastructure.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: Farzin Yazdi and Leslie McLeod Miller argue the measure is needed to counter accelerating capital flight driven by the end of the non-DOM regime and a looming 20% exit tax.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: Henley and Partners data shows nearly 11,000 millionaires left in 2024, with 16,500 more expected in 2025.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: Kuwait has introduced its first long-term investor residency system, granting 10-year permits for real estate investors and 15-year permits for business investors with no fixed minimum investment.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: Applications are reviewed case by case and business investors must satisfy requirements under the direct investment law.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: The reform arrives as Kuwait tightens citizenship rules and restructures its broader residency system.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: Madrid's Mbappé law grants new tax residents a 20% deduction on qualifying financial investments for six years.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: Eligible assets include equities, bonds, and investment funds, whether Spanish or foreign, while real estate and closely held companies are excluded.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: Elisa de Molinedos Suarez notes that the incentive targets individuals who cannot benefit from Spain's Beckham Law special tax regime, such as retirees and non-lucrative residents, and requires maintaining Madrid tax residency for six years.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: A California union is pushing a 5% tax on residents worth$1 billion or more, aiming to raise$100 billion to offset health care cuts.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Though the vote won't occur until late 2026, some residents are already planning both state and federal tax exits, with IMI Pro David Lesperant's warning the one-time label won't hold.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: Governor Gavin Newsom opposes the measure, arguing it risks accelerating California's ongoing wealth exodus.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for joining us today on IMI Podcasts.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: Subscribe for free to the IMI Daily Newsletter for breaking news and updates from the investment migration industry.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: And consider upgrading your membership to IMI Pro to get access to our exclusive professional community, industry events, data, and members only content.