News
16.05.2023 - The quota for the Seasonal Worker visa category announced for the next year
On 16 May 2023 the British Prime Minister announced a quota of 45,000 seasonal worker visas for 2024, “to give certainty to the horticulture sector next year, enabling them to plan ahead for the picking season”.
It is labelled as part of a larger package of support for British farmers. But as reported publicly, many of these migrant workers are accommodated in appalling conditions and exploited. A session of the House of Lords Horticulture Committee just last week heard extensive evidence of exploitation on the seasonal worker scheme.
In 2022 there were 38,000 visas available and a further 2,0...
15.05.2023 - Home Office U-turns on reporting hybrid working
The Home Office recently announced a new requirement for employers sponsoring overseas workers to report their usual working locations. They have now U-turned on that policy.
During the pandemic the Home Office advised that there was no obligation for sponsors to notify them if a sponsored worker was working from home. That exception was removed and the newly amended Part 3 of the Sponsor Guidance requires sponsors to make a report where a worker has moved, or will be moving to a hybrid working pattern as a more permanent working arrangements.
The update includes a definition of hybrid working...
11.05.2023 - Interest rates raised for 12th time in a row in the UK
The Bank of England has raised rates to their highest levels in almost 15 years.
The base rate has risen from 4.25% to 4.5% - the 12th successive raise in a row.
The Bank has been raising rates in an attempt to lower inflation - the rate at which prices are rising.
Rising interest rates mean monthly payments on some mortgages, loans and credit cards will go up - though some people will earn more money on their savings.
High inflation, largely driven by the soaring cost of energy, has pushed prices up leaving many people struggling with the cost of living.
05.05.2023 - New guidance for people unable to travel to enrol biometrics
The Home Office has now published caseworker guidance on requests from applicants not to attend Visa Application Centres overseas to submit their biometrics data, or alternatively to delay attending a centre, where it is not safe to do so.
Usually, an application for a UK visa will not begin to be processed until biometrics data is submitted, as this data is used to verify the claimed identity of the applicant and help conduct background checks on them. This is still predominantly done by attending a local Visa Application Centre, though for European nationals, it is now possible to complete t...
05.05.2023 - New Hong Kong British Nationals (overseas) visa concessions
As of last month, the Hong Kong British Nationals (overseas) (BN(O)) route includes two new visa concessions. Details can be found in the relevant Home Office guidance.
Please disregard the rules in respect to cases where financial or residency requirements cannot be met
The legacy concession enables the Home Office to grant 12 months leave outside the rules to applicants who apply from within the UK for the BN(O) visa, but who fail to meet a) the financial requirements and/or b) the ’ordinary residence’ requirement, at the time of the application. The current amendment grants an extension to ...
28.04.2023 - Court of Appeal re-affirms restrictive parameters of domestic violence provisions in immigration rules
The Court of Appeal has re-affirmed that the domestic violence provisions in the immigration rules are restricted to certain categories of partners and is not open to partners of Points Based System dependants, even if they have in fact suffered domestic abuse. The case is R (SWP) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2022] EWHC 2067 (Admin).
This sad case concerned an Indian national who came to the UK as a dependant of her Tier 2 migrant husband. SWP had fled the family home with her son and sought refuge at an emergency shelter for victims of domestic abuse. She had various qualific...
12.04.2023 - Home Office takes steps to protect British citizenship rights for children born to EU citizens
An important update confirms British citizenship rights for people born to EU citizens between 1 January 1983 and 1 October 2000 following a change in the Home Office’s position on how British nationality law applies to them.
The change was first announced during a hearing before the High Court in October 2022 and although litigation in this case continues, the intention of the Home Office to make these changes now is a useful and practical step.
Background
Historically every child born in the UK was automatically British. Then the British Nationality Act 1981 came into force on 1 January 1983...
11.04.2023 - New crackdown to prevent illegal migrants accessing bank accounts
Data sharing with the financial sector will begin today as the government cracks down on illegal migrants accessing banking services.
Making it more difficult for unlawful migrants to access financial services is an important tool to help deter illegal migration by preventing people from working illegally and profiting from services they are not entitled to.
Having access to a current account can assist those here unlawfully in obtaining work illegally and securing credit. It can help those without permission to be in the UK gain a foothold in society, regardless of their immigration status.
I...
03.04.2023 - Global Talent visa: Tech Nation shall continue operations until a new endorsing body is approved
The Home Office announced on 01 April 2023 that Tech Nation will continue to assess digital technology applications for the Global Talent visa after it ceased operations on 31 March 2023 as per its service agreement.
From 31 March 2023, applicants applying for visa under the visa category shall still be able to:
- use the Tech Nation website to continue an application started
- start a new application
A new endorsing body will then take over from Tech Nation.
Details on the new body will be published as soon as possible.
31.03.2023 - Hong Kong veterans settlement route to be introduced in Autumn 2023
On 29 March 2023 the UK government announced that the new Hong Kong Veterans Settlement route will soon be open and enable Hong Kongers who served in the British military to live and work in the UK.
Hundreds of Hong Kong veterans of the British military will be able to apply to settle in the UK under a new Government visa route to open later this year, following decades of campaigning and being refused citizenship.
The Government's Hong Kong Veterans Settlement route will enable hundreds who served in the British Armed Forces to live and work in the UK.
The settlement route will be open to all...
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