UK Immigration News
News and Updates
Tier 1 Investor Visa Closed
The Home Office have today announced the closure of the Tier 1 Investor Visa category with immediate effect.
Tier 2 Settlement Requirements Relaxed
The rules for the Government’s ‘new’ Points Based System for UK immigration have included a relaxation of the minimum income requirement for Settlement.
Government Defeated Over UK Immigration Bill
The Government’s flagship UK immigration bill that would end freedom of movement rules in the UK post-Brexit has been defeated in the House of Lords, after peers approved an amendment calling for an inquiry into the bill’s impact on care home staffing.
Massive Increase to Visa Fees for Migrant Workers
From 27 October the Home Office will increase the already significant Immigration Health Surcharge by a further 64%.
Change in UK Visa Application Process
The Home Office have started notifying some UK Visa applicants of a change to the application process due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.
Significant Changes to the Shortage Occupations List
There have been significant recent changes to the Shortage Occupations List, whereby ALL roles in the following occupation codes are considered shortage occupations
Immigration Health Surcharge to Double
The House of Lords has today approved the proposed doubling of the Immigration Health Surcharge from £200 per year for each migrant to £400 per year.
Immigration Health Surcharge to be doubled
Parliament is expected to approve the Government’s proposal to double the Immigration Health Surcharge from 18 December 2018.
Sajid Javid about to announce relaxing of immigration rules
Sajid Javid is expected to announce the relaxing of immigration rules to enable the NHS to hire non-EU doctors and nurses.
Brexit Reducing Skilled Migration to the UK
Many will have voted in favour of Brexit due to concerns about low-skilled migration. The actual impact has been somewhat different.
Huge increases in Home Office visa application fees
The Home Office have announced increases to visa application fees of up to 25%.
Home Office in Chaos
Employers are currently struggling to obtain Certificates of Sponsorship for existing and new employees, preventing them from hiring skilled workers in the UK and preventing some existing employees from continuing to work.
UK Employers hit with further immigration fees
The Home Office have announced that UK employers will have to pay up to £1,000 per year per non-EU employee sponsored under the Tier 2 Visa scheme from April 2017.
Theresa May attacks the education sector
Theresa May has announced yet more changes to the UK immigration rules, this time attacking students and the education sector.
British Government continues to discriminate against British Citizens
The recent Court ruling regarding the UK Spouse visa rules decided that there was nothing “irrational, or inherently unjust or inherently unfair” about the rules or the Financial Requirement.
The Cost of British Citizenship
With the Home Office applications fees due to be increased by as much as nearly 40% from April 2014, we thought it might be interesting to look at the cost of British Citizenship.