Immigration News

IHS is set to increase dramatically on 16 January 2024 and Skilled Workers are the worst affected category with the standard fee rising from £624 to £1035 per year, and from £470 to £776 for children, students and Youth Mobility applicants.

Immigration fees will be going up in September 2023 by at least 15% for work related visas and by at least 20% for other types of visa. The immigration health surcharge will increase from the current £624 per year to £1,035, and for children under 18, students and Youth Mobility applicants – from the current £470 to £776.

From 17 July 2023, international students can only switch into a sponsored work route after they have completed their course of studies. PhD students can switch into the sponsored work route 24 months after the start date of the course. The emphasis in this new rule is not conditional but temporal. There is no requirement to have completed the course of study successfully or to have passed the exams, but you cannot switch mid term or before the end date of your CAS unless you finished the course early.

Sponsor licence application can be eligible for a priority service at a cost of £500. This service can now be requested online when applying for the licence or at any time after before the application is taken for processing by the Home Office.

The government has announced a new set of measures to reduce the number of international students in the UK. From January next year, students will not be allowed to bring their dependants to the UK unless they are studying at PhD level or to switch into a work permitting route before completing their course of studies.

On 12 April 2023 long residence rule will change to exclude from the definition of lawful residence temporary immigration categories, such as visitor visa, short term student visa and temporary admission granted while an application for asylum or humanitarian protection is under consideration. Check out if you or your client may be affected

The recent changes in the Immigration Rules introduced some new work permitting routes in UK immigration. The first change, effective from 11 April 2022, is introduction of the Global Business Mobility Scheme which combines five immigration routes available for workers seconded for temporary assignments to the UK. These routes do not lead to settlement. The…

Full details of visa concessions for the Ukrainian citizens have not yet been announced but some steps have been taken to facilitate the visa application process. Family visas will be granted free of charge for close family members of British citizens or of Ukrainian citizens with indefinite leave to remain in the UK. The UKVI aims to process a family visa application within 24 hours from submission of biometrics at the chosen visa application centre.

The Investor visa closed for new applicants with immediate effect on 17th February 2021. It remains open for extension applications and applications for settlement. There are no changes to the extension or settlement requirements. No prior announcement of the closure was made and the government chose to step aside from its standard policy of giving…

In an effort to boost adult social care following the pandemic, care staff (social care workers, care assistants and home care workers) have been added to the shortage occupation list.  Employers will be able to sponsor candidates in these professions for the Health and Care visa starting from 15th February 2021.