Home Office Announces Autumn Updates To Immigration Rules

On 18 October 2022 the Home Office published its Autumn Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules. The statement includes various reforms of interest to businesses. Notably, however, the new Rules do not include the proposed expansion of the Innovator route to partially address the gap left by the closure of the Tier 1 (Investor) route in February 2022.

This article summarises some of the changes that are most likely to be of interest to employers. Unless otherwise stated, the changes in HC 719 come into effect from 9 November 2022.

No reform to Innovator route

In February 2022, following the closure of the Tier 1 (Investor) route, the Government announced an intention to launch a route for skilled and experienced professional business angel investors to invest in innovative businesses in the UK. This has not been included in the Autumn Statement of Changes. Following the appointment of Grant Shapps as Home Secretary on 19 October 2022, further confirmation is