News
05.05.2022 - UK interest rates raised from 0.75% to 1%
The Bank of England has warned that the UK economy will shrink this year as it raises interest rates to try to stem the pace of rising prices.
Rates rose to 1% from 0.75%, their highest level since 2009 and the fourth consecutive increase since December.
Inflation, at its highest for 30 years, is set to breach 10% by the end of the year, with fuel, energy and food costs soaring partly due to the Ukraine war.
Raising rates makes it more expensive for consumers and businesses to borrow. The idea is that people start spending less, helping cool demand for goods and services and, in turn, slowing ...
29.04.2022 - Raise minimum wage for social care workers rather than loosening visa rules, states МАС
There should be a higher minimum wage just for social care workers rather than looser visa rules, the Migration Advisory Committee has recommended. Releasing a new MAC report on the impact of Brexit on adult social care, chair Brian Bell said:
We maintain that only a significant rise in pay can hope to address the problems of recruitment and retention in the sector. A key recommendation is therefore that the Government introduces a fully funded minimum rate of pay for care workers in England where care is being provided through public funds. We propose a starting point of £10.50 per hour which...
28.04.2022 - Ukraine Family Scheme and Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine): visa data - as of 28 April 2022
Total Ukraine Scheme visa applications received: 117,600
Data is as of 28 April 2022 and comprised of:
- Ukraine Family Scheme: 42,900
- Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme: 74,700
Total Ukraine Scheme visas issued to people: 86,100
Data is as of 28 April 2022 and comprised of:
- Ukraine Family Scheme visas: 34,900
- Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme visas: 51,300
Of those issued under the Sponsorship Scheme, visas issued where the sponsor was from:
- Scotland: 5,200 (of which Scotland is super sponsor for 3,000)
- Wales: 2,300
- Northern Ireland: 600
- England: the rest of visa applicati...
27.04.2022 - Nothing wrong with official evidence of English language test cheating, Upper Tribunal holds
This decision forms the next episode in the saga of cases arising from the Test of English for International Communication (“TOEIC”) certificates obtained from test centres in the United Kingdom administering tests set by the Educational Testing Service (“ETS”).
The BBC Panorama programme broadcast on 10 February 2014 exposed widespread cheating in tests of English needed for immigration purposes. Subsequent investigation revealed that many thousands of results were obtained by fraud, many of them by impersonation of the candidate at the speaking test…
In this decision it is possible to examin...
26.04.2022 - UK announces new trade measures to support Ukraine
The UK has removed all tariffs on existing UK-Ukraine trade and levelled fresh sanctions at Russia.
All tariffs on goods imported from Ukraine will now be reduced to zero and all quotas will be removed under the free trade agreement, providing Ukraine economic support in their hour of need. The Prime Minister pledged to cut tariffs to support Ukraine’s economy through this crisis when he visited Kyiv earlier this month.
International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan met Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK His Excellency Vadym Prystaiko in London last week to reiterate the UK’s unwavering suppor...
25.04.2022 - Past British citizenship not enough to save murderer from deportation
Are you a “foreign criminal” if you were British when convicted and sentenced, but you’ve lost that citizenship by the time the Home Office decides to deport you? Yes, said the Court of Appeal in Zulfiqar v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2022] EWCA Civ 492, agreeing with the Upper Tribunal’s decision in the same case.
Background
The facts of the case are striking. Mr Zulfiqar was born in the UK as a dual British and Pakistani national. He has spent his entire life here, visiting Pakistan only once.
In 2005, Mr Zulfiqar was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. As...
22.04.2022 - Ukraine: UK embassy in Kyiv to reopen next week
The British embassy in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv will reopen next week, Boris Johnson has announced.
UK Ambassador Melinda Simmons said she was "heading back" after leaving when Russia invaded.
21.04.2022 - Ukraine Family Scheme and Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine): visa data - as of 21 April 2022
Total Ukraine Scheme visa applications received: 107,200
Data is as of 21 April 2022 and comprised of:
- Ukraine Family Scheme: 41,200
- Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme: 65,900
Total Ukraine Scheme visas issued to people: 71,800
Data is as of 21 April 2022 and comprised of:
- Ukraine Family Scheme visas: 32,500
- Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme visas: 39,300
Of those issued under the Sponsorship Scheme, visas issued where the sponsor was from:
- Scotland: 3,700 (of which Scotland is super sponsor for 2,140)
- Wales: 1,500
- Northern Ireland: 400
- England: the rest of visa applicati...
19.04.2022 - Can someone who has made an invalid extension application still rely on the 14-day grace period?
How broadly does the decision in R (Afzal) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2021] EWCA Civ 1909 protect applicants from the catastrophic consequences of becoming an overstayer after making an invalid application to extend immigration permission?
As a reminder, the Court of Appeal in Afzal held that the paragraph 39E protection against overstaying covers invalid applications (paragraph 50):
Although the language in para.39E is potentially ambiguous, any ambiguity utterly dissolves in the light of the obvious purpose of the paragraph and the statements of policy relating to it. Undo...
14.04.2022 - Ukraine Family Scheme and Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine): visa data - as of 14 April 2022
Total Ukraine Scheme visa applications received: 94,700
Data is as of 14 April 2022 and comprised of:
- Ukraine Family Scheme: 39,100
- Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme: 55,600
Total Ukraine Scheme visas issued to people: 56,500
Data is as of 14 April 2022 and comprised of:
- Ukraine Family Scheme visas: 31,400
- Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme visas: 25,100
Of those issued under the Sponsorship Scheme, visas issued where the sponsor was from:
- Scotland: 1,620 (of which Scotland is super sponsor for 570)
- Wales: 700
- Northern Ireland: 200
- England: the rest of visa applications
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