18 July 2019
UKVI visa application fees – not always what you would expect
Tier 2 sponsors have had to pay the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) of £1,000 per year of the visa, and in January 2019 the Immigration Health Surcharge increased from £200 to £400 per year of the visa. Sometimes the application of the fees can be a little unfair and may catch employers by surprise.
11 July 2019
Students starting their careers in the UK should consider a Tier 5 Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) visa
At this time of year, plenty of students in the UK are turning their minds to what happens next after their graduation day. For many, there is the challenge of securing suitable employment. And for those students in the UK who have a Tier 4 (General) student visa, there are further obstacles on the path to finding a job. One option would be to consider gaining experience from an internship on a Tier 5 (GAE) Scheme.
28 June 2019
Home Secretary asks the MAC to think again on post-Brexit salary thresholds
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is the independent body tasked with advising the government on UK immigration policy. In September 2018, the MAC produced its 140 page report with recommendations for the future post-Brexit immigration system.
10 June 2019
Shortages here, shortages there – the Migration Advisory Committee recommends expanding the list of shortage occupations
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), the independent body set up to advise the government on migration, has recommended that the list of shortage occupations be updated and expanded. The shortage occupation list is incorporated into the Immigration Rules and includes roles for which there are not enough settled workers in the UK.
2 April 2019
It’s official: The UK is closed for new business
In his introduction to the recent White Paper on the future UK immigration system, the Home Secretary Sajid Javid promised a new system that welcomes talent “from every corner of the globe and demonstrates the United Kingdom is open for business.” The UK’s first changes to the Immigration Rules since the publication of the White Paper came into force on 29 March. Sadly, these rules clearly show that the UK has a long way to go to fulfilling that promise of being open for business.
