Under growing pressure to tackle high net migration figures, the Home Office has published plans to clamp down on visa abuse and exploitation to be implemented through amendments to the Employment Rights Bill. These are aimed at “rogue” employers (particularly within the care sector) but are likely to affect any UK employer with a licence … Continue Reading
The Home Office announced a number of immigration-related changes in December 2023, including a significant increase in minimum salary thresholds for Skilled Worker visas. The finer detail, in the form of new Immigration Rules, will be published on 14 March with most of the changes coming into effect on 4 April 2024. In the meantime, … Continue Reading
There are several key immigration developments in the pipeline which are likely to affect UK employers. Here’s what you need to know: 6 February 2024: Visa Application costs increase The Immigration Health Surcharge is increasing from £624 to £1,035 per year for most adult UK visa applications from today, 6 February 2024. For under-18s, students … Continue Reading
The Home Office is picking up the pace on immigration compliance matters – we have seen increased activity on everything from right to work enforcement to visa curtailments as well as requests for further evidence across all aspects of sponsorship. We will be focusing on these and other challenges in our webinar on 14 September … Continue Reading
The UK government has announced changes to the EU Settlement Scheme from September 2023 which will affect those living in the UK with pre-settled status. The changes have been made following the case of R (Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements) v the Secretary of State for the Home Department [2022] in which … Continue Reading
In connection with the funding of pay increases being offered in the public sector, the government has announced its plans to increase: No date has been set for the introduction of these increases but they are expected to be imminent given current economic pressures.… Continue Reading
The Home Office has published its latest Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules, most of which will take effect from 12 April this year. The key changes of interest to employers are likely to be these:… Continue Reading
UK employers are generally aware of the need to carry out prescribed checks to ensure their employees have the right to work, and the consequences of illegal employment (civil penalty of £20,000, risk to sponsor licence or, in extreme cases, criminal prosecution). But the way in which the Home Office says these checks must be … Continue Reading
The EU Settlement Scheme designed to protect the rights of EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their families already resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 is based on the citizens’ rights section of the UK government’s Withdrawal Agreement with the EU. However, the Withdrawal Agreement has been considered and rejected by the House … Continue Reading
EU citizens and their family members may now apply under the EU Settlement Scheme as part of a public test phase, running from 21 January 2019. Our Brexit Legal Blog contains further information. You can still register for our Brexit Immigration Webinar: White Paper and EU Settlement, which takes place this Thursday 24 January at … Continue Reading
The UK government has now published its long-awaited Immigration White Paper, including proposals for new rules to be phased in from 2021. It has also indicated that a wider public test phase for the EU Settlement Scheme will be open from 21 January 2019. What does this mean for your business and what should you … Continue Reading
Just days before we head off for some festive respite from the Brexit chaos, the Immigration White Paper has finally been published (a full 164 page delight!). Here’s a brief summary of the key proposals, what employers should do next and how our Business Immigration team can help. As one of the fundamental challenges facing … Continue Reading
How will your business be affected by restrictions on hiring EEA nationals from 2021? The Government has said it will publish an immigration White Paper in the coming weeks. This should provide details of its intended post-Brexit immigration policy. We are hoping that businesses will be given a formal opportunity to comment on the proposed … Continue Reading
Squire Patton Boggs presents a webinar to discuss the latest practical guidance and analysis on the EU Settlement Scheme. The Home Secretary has issued a Statement of Intent relating to the Scheme, which will be rolled out from late 2018. The Statement explains in more detail the criteria and process for EU citizens to obtain … Continue Reading
Theresa May sent an email to EU citizens in the UK yesterday to assure them that their rights are her ‘first priority’ but what did they actually learn?… Continue Reading
The government yesterday published its Rights of EU Citizens in the UK Policy Paper Factsheet for workers and employers together with detailed proposals setting out its offer to EU nationals currently resident in the UK and those proposing to enter for the purpose of residency, pre-Brexit. Although there is a fair amount of detail to … Continue Reading
Hot on the heels of the House of Lords’ proposed amendment to the Brexit Bill to safeguard the status of EU nationals in the UK, the Select Committee for Exiting the EU has published a report stating that the ‘current process for consideration of permanent residency applications is not fit for purpose and, in the … Continue Reading
Businesses employing staff without the right to work face civil penalties of up to £20,000 per illegal employee. These can be imposed without proof of illegal working (or the employer’s awareness of it) – it is then up to the employer to demonstrate that the employee did have the right to work or that it … Continue Reading
Immigration continues to dominate the Brexit debate – here is a round-up of where we currently stand: Can they stay or must they go? EEA nationals currently in the UK According to Telegraph reports, Home Office research has concluded that when the UK leaves the EU, just over 80 per cent of EU citizens already … Continue Reading
Home Office scrutiny of illegal working has increased significantly over recent months – businesses with large, diverse multi-sited workforces appear to be particularly at risk, but civil penalties are no longer something which only happens to other people. The civil penalty regime has the very laudable aim of deterring UK employers from hiring staff without … Continue Reading
Following the Migration Advisory Committee’s January recommendations regarding the Government’s proposals to restrict Tier 2 of the Points Based System, the Home Office has now announced the changes that will be implemented across Tier 2. Compared to the initial radical proposals put forward by the Government to restrict Tier 2 last summer, the Home Office’s … Continue Reading
The Government has commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to review Tier 2 of the UK’s immigration system “with a view to significantly reducing net migration to the UK”. On 25 September we submitted our response to the MAC’s call for evidence. It took into account opinions canvassed from a number of international clients and contacts … Continue Reading
