Insights & News

Tier 1 Investor category suspended with immediate effect

06 December 2018

The Home Office has suspended the Tier 1 (Investor) immigration category for new applications from midnight on Thursday 6th December 2018 as part of a crackdown on organised crime and money laundering in the UK. The move follows a 46% rise in applications under the route from July this year, to over 400 applications.

Joanna Hunt comments for The Times: Chinese and Indian students driving growth in non-EU net migration

Press

30 November 2018

Joanna Hunt has commented in an article for The Times which discusses growth in non-EU net migration.

New in-country UK immigration processes contain a potential pitfall for travellers

30 November 2018

On 5 November 2018 the Home Office launched a new process for immigration applications submitted in the UK, in commercial partnership with Sopra Steria. The new partnership affords access to a range of new user pay services, including access to a premium lounge, on-demand mobile application services for both small and large groups of applicants and priority processing on a next working day or 10 working day basis.

Sports Q&A - How might Brexit affect sports immigration?

28 November 2018

As things stand, the UK will leave the EU on 29 March 2019. The UK will adopt a new immigration system post-Brexit, under which free movement of European nationals and their family members will cease. There will be a period of transition until the end of 2020, during which free movement will continue, and a new “settlement scheme” will be rolled out for European migrants. Free movement will end completely from January 2021. All British businesses will be affected by these changes. However, Brexit poses some particular challenges to the sports sector.

MAC calls for evidence on labour shortages in the UK

20 November 2018

On 13 November the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) launched a call for evidence from employers and other interested parties to feed into its full review of the shortage occupation list. Jobs on this list are currently exempt from resident labour market testing requirements and from meeting the minimum salary otherwise required at the point of applying for settlement (currently £35,500).

The one thing that is settled in the Brexit deal - Settled Status System for EEA nationals testing phase results

13 November 2018

Whether we have a Brexit deal on 29 March 2019 or not, the UK is more than likely to be going full steam ahead with the Settled Status System (“SSS”). Largely because there are no realistic options for a new system at this stage; all the time and money available has already been invested into the SSS. The Home Office themselves are the first to admit this and assure anyone that asks, that they can be fairly certain to rely on the SSS going ahead regardless.

Joanna Hunt writes for Free Movement: How easy is it to buy British citizenship?

Press

02 November 2018

Joanna Hunt has written an article for Free Movement which questions how easy it is to buy British Citizenship.

Joanna Hunt writes for Free Movement: 10 things we (might) now know about the post-Brexit immigration system

Press

04 October 2018

In an article for Free Movement, Joanna Hunt looks into the conclusions we can draw for the post-Brexit immigration system will look like, now that we have a picture emerging of what this may look like.

The MAC report: EU nationals will need work permits if they want to get jobs in the UK post Brexit

18 September 2018

The Migration Advisory Committee has released today its long awaited report into the impact of EEA migration in the UK. The report is a key indicator of what the Government may do when they reveal their plans for the new immigration system which will govern how EU nationals are able to live and work in the UK after the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December 2020.

MAC proposals will switch it up for Tier 4 students wanting to work in the UK

17 September 2018

September marks the start of what is likely to be a busy few months in the world of immigration law, with the eagerly awaited Migration Advisory Committee’s report into the impact of EU workers on the UK economy likely to be released in the next few weeks and the long overdue immigration white paper following in October.

Naomi Hanrahan-Soar writes for ITProPortal - UK immigration and the national cyber security strategy

Press

05 September 2018

In an article for ITProPortal, Naomi Hanrahan-Soar discusses the need for a diverse and skilled workforce if the UK aims to be a world leader in cyber security.

UK immigration system “almost impossible to navigate”

04 September 2018

Last week The Guardian published an article about the volume of UK immigration laws and the frequency of changes and amendments to them. This was sparked by some damning remarks from Lord Justice Irwin who said that the system is “something of a disgrace” and almost impossible to navigate.

Residents of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau will not require work permits when they are hired by enterprises on the Chinese mainland potentially as soon as September 2018

10 August 2018

On 3 August the State Council in China made an announcement to the effect that residents of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau will not be obliged to apply for work permits in order to be employed by enterprises on the Chinese mainland, under a new proposal set to operate from September 2018.

Science and technology committee calls for free movement of skilled workers

31 July 2018

To some of us, science has an ethereal power. It creates and changes the rules rather than simply being bound by then. So it comes as no surprise that the science and technology committee has suggested free movement of scientists (and all skilled workers) to the UK. Albeit for only 180 days.

Joanna Hunt writes for Free Movement: An NHS exemption will help, but the Tier 2 visa cap should go

Press

26 June 2018

In an article for Free Movement, Joanna Hunt discuss the Home Office announcement that doctors and nurses will no longer be counted towards the cap on Tier 2 visas.

Have your say how you want us to deliver immigration services to individuals!

Case Study

11 June 2018

As one of the leading firms for business immigration, one of our top priorities is understanding the implications of Brexit for EU workers. We now know that the 3 million EU nationals and their family members are going to have to start, later this year, to apply under a new immigration procedure for ‘settled status’. Many of them will not have come into contact with the UK visa system before and may understandably feel they would benefit from legal assistance with the process.

Joanna Hunt writes for HR review - Is the Tier 2 system in crisis?

Press

04 June 2018

There is another potential crisis brewing for the Home Office. The last few months has seen a number of developments which expose the failings of the Tier 2 system, the work permit category of the immigration rules. Joanna Hunt asks, is the Tier 2 system in crisis?

Five in 5

15 May 2018

A series of five hints, tips and thoughts you should definitely remember as part of your sponsor reporting obligations.

Joanna Hunt writes for City A.M.: Businesses should demand the home office reform policies that create a burden and ‘hostile environment’ for employers

Press

09 May 2018

In an article for City A.M. Joanna Hunt discusses the UK's immigration system creating a "hostile environment" resulting in a burden on employers having to check all employees right to work in the UK, or face harsh penalties.

Joanna Hunt writes for HR Zone: How is the gender pay gap impacting the migrant female workforce?

Press

20 April 2018

In an article for HR Zone, Joanna Hunt discusses what the results of gender pay gap reporting mean for employers and workers of both genders, and more importantly what we can do about it.