News

What is the Shortage Occupation List (SOL)? The SOL is a list of roles deemed to be in shortage in the UK and where immigration has been assessed as a suitable measure to help tackle those shortages. The current SOL comprises 37 UK-wide roles, one role for Scotland alone and 15 health and education roles […]

Skilled workers Prison officers are being made eligible for this route and will be added to the list of Skilled Occupations. Seasonal Workers The seasonal worker route has been amended to clarify the minimum 32-hour pay-per-week requirement for those working in horticulture and seasonal poultry workers. Youth mobility scheme enhancements For Australia and Canada, the […]

To assess a Secure English Language Test (SELT), applicants must provide a reference number on their application form. This number is used to verify the SELT using an online portal. The applicant must score at least the minimum level required for the route in each relevant component of the test, which must be taken in […]

The Government has not yet announced when this substantial increase in the cost of applying for a UK visa will come into effect. However, the timing of the announcement suggests that it may be as soon as the Autumn. On 13 July 2023, the UK Government announced that the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) will increase by 66%, […]

The quota for 2023 is as follows: Horticultural Sector: 45,000 places (available for edible and ornamental roles) Poultry production sector: 2,000 places This increase in the total available quota (up from 38,000 in 2022) follows through on a promise made by Liz Truss during her short time as Prime Minister. This route allows approved scheme […]

Guidance released by the Home Office (UKVI) states that an employee can start working in their sponsored employment as soon as they have permission to enter or stay in the UK. As a business, you do not have tell the Home Office (UKVI) if the worker’s start date has been brought forward after they have […]

The Home Secretary had announced on 31 March that around 2,800 doctors, nurses and paramedics with leave due to expire by 1 October would get a free one-year extension. Family members are included and there are no fees involved. On 29 April, the department announced that it was extending the scheme to cover other “frontline workers, including […]

Pre lockdown, many Tier 2 employees may have been in the process of changing employment. Due to the lockdown, many have been unable to progress their application. This undoubtedly would be causing many anxiety and fear over their visa status. The UKVI has now updated their COVID 19 guidance to state the following: If you’re […]

The UKVI has updated its guidance on the Immigration system coming into place in 2021. The key points to note are: New immigration routes will open from autumn 2020 for applications to work, live and study in the UK from 1 January 2021. Re-iteration on the process for Skilled Workers. Please see our blog on […]

Every employer has a duty to ensure that all its employees have the right to work in the UK, either by virtue of their British Citizenship, or as a term of their right to remain. It is a criminal offence to knowingly employ someone who has no right to work in the UK, so it […]