26 January 2016
Lords propose closure of the Tier 1 (Investor) visa
Baroness Hamwee and Lord Paddick (Liberal Democrat) have tabled an amendment to the 2015 Immigration Bill proposing the abolition of the Tier 1 (Investor) visa.
Their proposal would see the route closed both to new applicants and those switching their visas to the Tier 1 (Investor) route in the UK from 1 January 2017.
20 January 2016
Targeting the wrong people and shooting itself in the foot - the MAC proposes significant changes to the Tier 2 sponsored immigration route
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) was tasked with undertaking a wide-ranging review of the Tier 2 visa route, with the ultimate aim of advising the government on the various options available to restrict the number of non-EEA skilled workers coming to the UK.
Their recommendations, published yesterday, do not make for easy reading for UK and global businesses with a UK presence.
19 January 2016
Migration Advisory Committee publishes its Tier 2 review findings
On 19 January the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published its long awaited findings, following its wide ranging review of the Tier 2 route over the summer of 2015. In this blog, we set out the main recommendations and findings.
12 January 2016
The government announces immigration fee changes effective 6 April 2016
On 11 January 2016, the government set out its proposed changes to the fees for visas, immigration and nationality applications and associated premium services from 6 April 2016.
The government is proposing to set maximum levels on the amounts for broad categories of fees that can be charged by the Home Office over the next four years. There are no current plans to raise fees to the maximum levels. However, the stated goal is to make the border, immigration and citizenship system self-funded by those who use it.
11 December 2015
UK Immigration Bill 2015 and anticipated changes in 2016
Immigration Bill 2015 – Illegal working
If enacted in its current form, the provisions in the Immigration Bill relating to illegal working will require ever more vigilance on the part of Sponsors and migrants to avoid falling foul of the new measures, including severe criminal sanctions.
The Bill proposes the creation of a new criminal offence of illegal working, which will affect migrants in circumstances where they are either working in the UK without permission, or continue to do so once their permission has ceased to have effect, or they are subject to a condition preventing them from undertaking the work they are doing. The offence will be punishable by imprisonment for up to 51 weeks, or by a fine, or both. A migrant convicted of the offence may also have their earnings seized.
