Immigration Blog

The Immigration Reform 2026 follows the Immigration White Paper of May 2025 and sets out a wide-ranging overhaul of the UK immigration system. The reforms aim to reduce net migration by tightening eligibility for workers and students, extending the qualifying period for permanent settlement, and introducing an earned settlement scheme with new income requirements. While some changes have already been implemented in 2025, further proposals due to take effect from April 2026 could significantly affect skilled workers, care workers, graduates, and dependent family members. This article outlines the changes introduced so far, the reforms under consultation, and the potential impact on settlement, family life, and long-term residence in the UK.

A longer route to settlement Earned settlement scheme stipulates a new 10-year baseline requirement for settlement which will apply across most immigration categories and may, in some cases, extend the residence requirement for ILR to 30 years. Dependants will no longer qualify for ILR at the same time as the main applicant or after 5 years

On 21 November 2025 the government published a new policy paper, Restoring Order and Control: A Statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, described as “perhaps the most substantial reform to the UK’s asylum system in a generation”. In the Foreword to the Statement, the Prime Minister goes out of his way to proclaim

If you are unfortunate to have been refused a visa, you may be faced with a choice – go for an immigration appeal (if you have the right of appeal) or make a fresh application. I will try and give you here some guidance on the advantages and disadvantages of appeals and fresh applications. The

Last month the government announced the intention to overhaul the immigration rules and make the path to settlement and British citizenship a longer journey for most. It will also be more difficult for employers to sponsor a worker and the duration of a graduate visa will be refused. Some international students may now rush to

Immigration rules expressly prohibit passing the sponsorship costs to the employee. However, visa fee and the IHS can be paid by either employee or the employer. The new rules explain when and how the sponsor may recover these costs.

Is there discretion to grant indefinite leave to remain where some of the requirements of the rules are not met? This question is particularly burning for the applicants under the long residence rule who have lived in the country lawfully for 10 years and want to settle permanently.

The Isle of Jersey has its own immigration rules. These rules are loosely based on the UK Immigration Rules but there are some important differences. The types of family visas for Jersey are the same as for the UK: Spouse or partner visa Fiancé or proposed civil partner visa Parent of a child Adult dependent