Blog
Press Round-Up: Regulatory and Professional Discipline – August and September 2025
Imogen Roberts
5 March 2014
Immigration Update: Salary rates for Tier 2 to be updated on 6 April
On 4 March the Home Office announced that they intend to update the salary rates set out in the codes of practiced for skilled employees on 6 April 2014. At the same time they will replace the following Standard Occupation Classification (SOC) codes with multiple options to correspond with the various job levels within those occupations, as set out in the codes of practice
12 December 2013
Immigration Update: New Electronic Visa Waiver Scheme for Middle Eastern Business Travellers
As at 9 December the Home Office has proposed changes to the Immigration Rules to provide a new, straightforward and free alternative to a visa for short-term visitors from Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The intention is to extend the scheme to Kuwait later in 2014. These countries are currently visa nationals for the UK, which means that until now individuals have been required to apply for a visa in order to enter the UK as a visitor.
20 November 2013
A new UK investor residence visa programme is launched - but it's not run by the UK
The market for global residence and citizenship by investment programmes has been hotting up for some time. The popularity of these schemes, offering long term residence and second passports by making a specific level of investments, has been fuelled by a combination of the demand for easier travel and political and economic security and the need for cash-strapped countries to redress their balance sheets.
20 November 2013
Changes to the Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK requirement for settlement and naturalisation
As of the 28 October 2013, the government has introduced changes to the Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK (KoLL) requirement which will apply to any application for permanent residence (settlement) in the UK for adults (aged 18 and above). The new requirements will also apply to individuals applying to naturalise as British citizens.
18 October 2013
Immigration Update: New “streamlined” UK visa services announced for China
During a visit to China on 14 October 2013, the Chancellor, George Osborne indicated that the visa application process for Chinese visitors was to be simplified. The Home Office has now announced the introduction of the following enhanced and streamlined services for processing UK visa applications in China.