UK immigration update for Health and Care visa – January 2024  

Health and Care visa updates January 2024 On Monday 4 December 2023, the Prime Minister and Home Secretary announced the plan to cut net migration which together with the package to restrict student dependants, is expected to reduce the numbers by around 300,000. We summarised the plan in our blog article on 4th December 2023. There are a number of updates for Health and care sponsor employers and Health and Care visa in general. Changes…

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UK immigration – important clarifications & timeline for new immigration measures to curb net migration

UK immigration – important clarifications & timeline for new immigration measures to curb net migration On Monday 4 December 2023, the Prime Minister and Home Secretary announced the plan to cut net migration which together with the package to restrict student dependants, is expected to reduce the numbers by around 300,000. We summarised the plan in our blog article on 4th December 2023. Package announced in early December 2023 contained…

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Changes to UK immigration rules – New Statement of Changes to Immigration rules 7th December 2023

New Statement of Changes to UK Immigration rules 7th December 2023 More changes to UK Immigration rules. New Statement of Changes to Immigration rules 7th December 2023 has been published today. It includes changes to EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), changes to visitor rules and changes to Youth Mobility Scheme. There are also minor changes to some other immigration categories. The changes to the rules are due to come into force…

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Big changes to UK immigration to reduce net migration – increase to salaries, increase to minimum income family visas, limiting Shortage Occupation & dependents – take effect spring 2024

Major changes to UK immigration to take effect in spring 2024 Recent announcement of UK net migration reaching over 745,000 in 2022, caused immediate reaction from UK conservative government. There were already previous changes to UK immigration rules for students and student dependents to limit net migration were announced earlier this year 2023. However, the recent announcement of the higher net migration for 2022 than previously expected, caused the government…

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Sole responsibility for a child in UK immigration – headache for work visa applicants and other UK visa applicants

Sole responsibility: The Guardian has published another very instructive story of immigration woes and self inflicted pain. The Guardian article describes a familiar story. A lecturer from Kenya who holds a UK work visa applied for the visa for her daughter to come live with her in the UK where she has obtained position with one of the universities. Her husband, due to other commitments, stayed behind in Kenya. The…

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Update to Right to Work Checks guidance 

Update to Right to Work Checks guidance  Right to Work Checks are one of the key requirements each UK employer must be fully familiar with. Under section 15 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, all employers have a duty to check their employees have the right to work in the UK and to undertake the work in question. Home Office will take action against those who employ illegal workers and…

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UK immigration update – new online immigration status eVisa instead of Biometric Residence Permit

EVisa digital UK immigration status to replace BRP and BRC UK immigration update: UK Home Office is introducing changes to make the UK immigration system more digital. This is reflected in their ‘New Plan for Immigration’ roadmap published in July 2022. Part of the digitalisation process is to replace physical immigration permits with online immigration status eVisa. The recently published new Home Office guidance dated 31st October 2023 outlines what…

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Terrorism related questions in UK visa & British citizenship applications

Terrorism related questions in UK visa & British citizenship applications UK visa applications and British Citizenship application forms have questions relating to General Grounds of refusal good character. Those questions are focused on the applicants’ conduct, associations and various activities that may mean that the person’s presence in the UK is undesirable. Some of the questions are relating to terrorist activities or support of those. In light of the recent…

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Electronic travel authorisation ETA for the UK – what it is and how to apply

Electronic travel authorisation(ETA) for the UK Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) gives you permission to travel to the UK. The applicant must be seeking permission to enter the UK as either: (i) a Visitor (other than a Marriage/Civil Partnership Visitor), staying in the UK for up to 6 months; or (ii) a Creative Worker who is seeking entry to the UK pursuant to paragraph Appendix Temporary Work – Creative Worker at CRV 3.2.…

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Important: Sponsors SMS updates National Insurance Number and Companies House Number required

SMS updates National Insurance Number (NINO) for Key Personnel  If your business holds immigration sponsor licence in any category, including Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility as the most typical licence types, you need to ensure that you comply with the Home Office sponsorship duties. Those duties and requirements keep evolving and updates are notified to sponsors via Sponsor Management System (SMS). It is therefore important to login to your…

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