On 09 October 2024 our Solicitors Cathryn Davies and Carla Mirallas Martinez hosted our Naturalisation webinar.

The Global Talent route is a category designed to enable those who are endorsed as a recognised or emerging leader in their field to come to the UK to work.

The Home Secretary commissioned a review of the IT and engineering sectors, previously on the Shortage Occupation List, to assess their reliance on international recruitment and explore potential adjustments to immigration policy. Results are expected by Spring 2025.

The Insolvency Service (an executive agency of the Department for Business and Trade) has recently issued a six-year ban to a South-East London restaurant director for employing individuals with no right to work.

The Migration Advisory Committee is reviewing the family visa Minimum Income Requirement (MIR), currently £29,000, with potential adjustments expected by Spring 2025 following stakeholder input and analysis.

The Home Office introduced the "Sponsor UK" system to streamline worker and student sponsorship, with phased implementation over 2–4 years. Updated guidance emphasizes compliance, eligibility, and right-to-work checks.

To meet UK spouse visa financial requirements through cash savings, applicants must hold at least £88,500 (or £45,000 for settlement) for six months. Transitional rules allow pre-April 2024 applicants to use lower thresholds.

The financial requirement rule that applies to UK spouse visa applications can be complex and difficult to meet. We consider how pension income can be used to meet the requirements.

The UK Home Office is transitioning to a fully digital immigration system by January 2025, with the introduction of eVisas as a key element. Businesses must stay compliant with right-to-work checks, ensure sponsor licence maintenance, and prepare employees for eVisa implementation by guiding them in setting up UKVI accounts.

The UK's new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, launching fully by 2025, streamlines entry for non-visa nationals visiting or transiting the UK. It enhances border security, digitalizes applications, and excludes visa holders, British, Irish, and specific residents.

The UK government is intensifying enforcement against immigration offences, increasing sanctions for repeat violations, revoking sponsor licenses, and imposing penalties. Employers must ensure compliance to avoid financial, operational, and reputational risks under evolving immigration laws.

UK spouse visa applicants who are directors or employees of specified limited companies must meet complex financial requirements, providing extensive evidence to demonstrate income compliance under Appendix FM-SE.

The UK Home Office updated Skilled Worker sponsor guidance on 31 December 2024, prohibiting sponsors from passing certain fees (such as sponsor licence and CoS fees) to workers. Additionally, a ban was introduced on sponsoring workers in a personal capacity, with exceptions for diplomatic households...

The Home Office has improved sponsorship services and processes for Skilled Worker visas. Updates include expanded pre- and post-licence priority service access, removal of daily slot limits for pre-licence requests, and new categories for Students/Graduates switching to Skilled Worker routes, streamlining compliance and efficiency.

The financial requirement can often be the most complicated aspect of any partner or spouse visa application. In this article, we consider how to meet the financial requirement by relying on income from self-employment.

Employers sponsoring Skilled Worker visa applicants in the UK can benefit from reduced salary requirements for new entrants, allowing pay at 70% of the occupation's going rate. However, this reduction is temporary, lasting up to four years. When this period ends, employers must adjust salaries to meet the full going rate to maintain visa compliance. Sponsors must carefully monitor tradeable points and occupation codes to avoid non-compliance, which could result in visa refusals or penalties from

Recent cases have seen the UKVI revoke sponsor licences immediately after a Level 1 User assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to a close relative, a serious breach of compliance rules. The Sponsorship Guidance prohibits assigning CoS to oneself or close relatives, including spouses, siblings, and in-laws. Organizations must ensure adherence to these rules and disclose any such assignments by adding a sponsor note if necessary. Revocations can severely impact an organization's operations a

A No Time Limit (NTL) application allows individuals with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in old-style formats to obtain a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), facilitating access to the UK's digital eVisa system, which becomes mandatory by 2025.

Meeting the financial requirement for UK partner visas can be challenging. Applicants may use non-employment income sources such as rental income, dividends, and stipends, but strict documentation and eligibility rules apply. Expert guidance ensures accurate preparation and reduces risks of refusal.

The recent updates to UK Immigration Rules include visa requirements for Jordanian nationals, changes to the EU Settlement Scheme, and corrections to skilled worker salary rates. Additionally, amendments address transit visas, settlement application fee waivers, and new diplomatic visa arrangements.