Sterling Law

Immigration

Partner (UK Immigration)

Oksana Demyanchuk is a highly experienced UK immigration lawyer and Head of Immigration at Sterling Law in London, recognised for her work in both corporate and personal immigration matters. With over 12 years of practice and the highest IAA (OISC) accreditation (Level 3), she routinely handles the most complex immigration cases, including appeals and tribunal work.

Current role and background

Oksana has been with Sterling Law for over a decade and leads the immigration department as Head of Immigration, supervising a team of lawyers and advisors. She combines fee-earning work with management responsibilities, overseeing the quality of advice and mentoring junior colleagues on complex UK immigration matters.​

Oksana holds Level 3 OISC/IAA accreditation, the highest level of regulatory authorisation for immigration advisers, which permits her to conduct advanced casework, advocacy, and representation in intricate immigration, human rights, and appeal matters. This status reflects both her technical expertise and her ability to manage high‑stakes litigation and tribunal representations.​

Practice focus and expertise

Her practice spans the full spectrum of UK immigration law, with a particular strength in corporate immigration, Sponsor Licences, and applications under the Points-Based System, including work and business routes. She advises employers and skilled workers on compliance, sponsorship strategy, and long‑term planning towards settlement, often in technically complex or time‑sensitive scenarios.​

Oksana also maintains a substantial personal immigration caseload, covering family migration, Appendix FM applications, Appendix EU, long residence, naturalisation and settlement, frequently involving nuanced Article 8 ECHR and human rights arguments. She is especially noted for identifying potential difficulties early, crafting creative case strategies, and delivering tailored solutions in matters where the facts are finely balanced.​

Complex casework and appeals

Oksana’s Level 3 accreditation allows her to act in the most complex categories of immigration work, including appeals before the First‑tier and Upper Tribunal and related advocacy and representation. She has a strong record in preparing detailed appeal bundles, drafting persuasive submissions, and managing cases involving refusals, long‑running disputes, and intricate procedural histories.​

Her experience includes challenging Home Office decisions across a wide range of routes, including work and business categories, as well as family, long residence, and human rights-based applications. Colleagues and clients alike recognise her for a robust, “can‑do” approach that combines meticulous analysis with pragmatic solutions focused on securing favorable outcomes.​

Key areas of expertise

Corporate immigration and Sponsor Licences, including Sponsor Management System and compliance advice.​

Work and business immigration under the Points-Based System and successor routes, including skilled workers and other economic migration categories, leading to Indefinite Leave to Remain.​

Family migration, including spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner, and fiancé(e) visas, Appendix FM and Appendix EU applications.​

Long residence, settlement, and naturalisation applications often involve complex immigration histories.​

Appeal preparation and advocacy in the FTT and UT, including Article 8 ECHR and human rights‑based claims.

English/Ukranian/Russian