UK IMMIGRATION NEWS

The Home Office has confirmed that it has commenced sharing the fingerprint data of suspect migrants with countries outside the European region.

Wednesday, 26 August 2009

The UK's Rugby Football League ('RFL') has voiced fears that further players could be deported from the UK in the wake of the Celtic Crusaders visa scandal.

Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Business leaders and immigration lawyers have accused the UK government of harming business with their Tier 2 Skilled Worker points-based immigration system (PBS) – the replacement for the former work permit scheme.

Thursday, 20 August 2009

UK employers are continuing to recruit overseas workers despite the global recession, recent research from the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) has shown.

Thursday, 13 August 2009

Plans to introduce a points based eligibility system for UK citizenship were unveiled by the Government this week.

Wednesday, 5 August 2009

Free NHS ('National Health Service') treatment will soon be available to thousands of failed asylum seekers in the UK due to a government change in access eligibility criteria.

Wednesday, 22 July 2009

The UK proposed new Borders, Citizenship & Immigration bill cleared its final stage in the House of Commons this week after receiving support from both major opposition parties.

Wednesday, 22 July 2009

The UK government has for the time-being abandoned plans requiring UK and Irish nationals to show passports when travelling between the two countries (Common Travel Area – CTA). There are currently no passport controls for nationals of either country travelling within the CTA.

Monday, 20 July 2009

A new 7 year contract has just been signed with IBM to provide key elements of the UK government’s upgrade of UK biometric passports.

Wednesday, 15 July 2009

More than 63,000 of the estimated 450,000 asylum legacy cases identified under the Case Resolution Programme have now been approved.

Friday, 10 July 2009

In a ground-breaking meeting prior to this week's G8 summit, the UK Prime Minster, Gordon Brown and French President, Nicolas Sarkozy agreed on tough new measures to combat the wave of illegal migration from continental Europe to the UK, in particular the migrant squatter camps springing up around the French port of Calais.

Friday, 10 July 2009

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) today announced that a £20 fee will be introduced from 29th June 2009 for the acceptance of technical changes of employment notifications for work permit holders. The new charge was introduced as part of the UKBA’s ongoing cost recovery measures.

Friday, 26 June 2009

Figures obtained from the UK Home Office predict that the number of UK passports granted in 2009 will reach 200,000 – breaking the previous record of 164,540 set in 2007.

Friday, 26 June 2009

A report published by the London School of Economics (‘LSE’) has claimed that an immigration amnesty for the UK’s long term illegal migrants could net up to £3bn for the UK economy. There are currently an estimated 618,000 illegal migrants in the UK, of whom up to 442,000 reside in London.

Thursday, 18 June 2009

Trials of facial recognition technology currently underway at Manchester and Stansted airports is expected to be rolled out to 10 further UK airports by August 2009.

Thursday, 18 June 2009

Belarusian children affected by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster have resumed respite trips to the UK and other destinations following resolution of a diplomatic dispute with Belarus.

Tuesday, 16 June 2009

The UK is considering reforming its existing visitor visa scheme in order to entice more Chinese and other visitors to its shores.

Friday, 12 June 2009

In welcome news for students intending on completing their secondary school education in the UK, the UK Border Agency ('UKBA') has agreed to extend their existing concessional arrangements for prospective A-level students, to include those completing other A-level equivalent courses, such as Higher Diplomas.

Wednesday, 10 June 2009

Stricter visa rules designed to stamp out sham colleges and qualifications are causing problems for legitimate private schools seeking foreign students according to the Independent Schools Council ('ISC').

Wednesday, 3 June 2009

Lecturers at the UK universities are strongly opposed to the new tough immigration rules introduced under the Tier 4 Student category.

Friday, 29 May 2009

The UK Border Agency has announced that arrangements are now in place for migrants covered by the judgment of 6 April 2009 in the judicial review brought by the HSMP Forum Ltd.

Friday, 22 May 2009

The British Medical Association Council have expressed concerns over the impact that tough new immigration rules, which came into effect in March 2009, have had on UK health services.

Thursday, 21 May 2009

The UK Government has responded to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC)'s recommendations following its review of the shortage occupation lists.

Friday, 15 May 2009

A report published last week by the European Commission showed that Europe's working age population would peak next year and start declining afterwards, which would have huge budgetary and economic impacts for all European countries.

Wednesday, 6 May 2009

The Home Office is set to relax the immigration rules for sheep shearers to help avoid a major shortage of workers this summer.

Friday, 1 May 2009

The UK Hospitality sector has seen the largest number of employers who have breached illegal working legislation since the UK Border Agency (UKBA) started to implement rigorous checks last year in order to prevent illegal working.

Friday, 24 April 2009

A person's application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (permanent residence) on the basis of 14 years residence cannot be refused because he/she has lived in the UK 'unlawfully' or 'worked unlawfully', according to a recent decision by the Court of Appeal.

Friday, 24 April 2009

The UK Government has recently announced that strict working restrictions for Eastern Europeans will be retained.

Friday, 17 April 2009

Prior to 3 April 2006, those under the HSMP who wished to apply for ILR were required to show that they had spent 4 years' continuous residence in the UK. On 3 April 2006, the 4 year qualifying period was increased to 5 years' qualifying residence. Due to this change, a large number of HSMP holders did not qualify for ILR.

Thursday, 16 April 2009

A UK employer who does not accept job applications from non-EEA nationals who required a work permit is at risk of claims for indirect race discrimination, according to a recent legal case.

Tuesday, 14 April 2009

A quarter of UK colleges who want to enrol overseas students have been denied a licence by the Home Office.

Friday, 3 April 2009

Whilst a growing number of unemployed local people are given support to find jobs or learn new skills, the East of England needs migrant workers to plug employment gaps and beat the recession.

Friday, 27 March 2009

Stricter Immigration Rules for skilled and highly skilled migrant workers will take effect on 31 March 2009, raising the academic and financial requirements of two categories in Tier 1 of the points-based system.

Tuesday, 24 March 2009

Foreign workers and students from outside the European Union will have to pay £50 when arriving in the UK to help ease the impact of immigrants on public services.

Thursday, 19 March 2009

Malcolm Clay, of the Association of Circus Proprietors of Great Britain, told the committee that they needed to bring performers from Eastern Europe and China. However they feared that although the new points-based system is a 'vast improvement' on the previous work permit system, Embassy staff have not been properly trained for the new system.

Friday, 6 March 2009

The Government has announced its proposed fee levels for all visa, immigration, sponsorship and nationality applications in 2009/10.

Friday, 6 March 2009

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has announced tougher measures to reduce the number of foreign workers wishing to enter the UK, and to give British workers a greater change of applying first for UK jobs.

Tuesday, 24 February 2009

Migrants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) are expected to receive identity cards for foreign nationals. The cards replace the stickers or vignettes in passports.

Wednesday, 18 February 2009

South Africans will be required to obtain visas to visit Britain under Government plans to close a route exploited by people smugglers, illegal immigrants and terror suspects.

Wednesday, 18 February 2009

The UK Border Agency has announced a call for tender for the European Integration Fund 2007-2008. The European Integration Fund is aimed at legally newly arrived migrants within the last five years who are not asylum seekers or refugees.

Wednesday, 4 February 2009

More than 150,000 foreigners from outside the EU were allowed to work in the UK last year, a figure almost four times higher than when the Labour government took power in 1997.

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Foreign workers have taken almost all the new jobs created in the UK in the past 7 years. The research into the UK labour market since 2001, published by the think-tank Migrationwatch, shows that 1.08 million out of the 1.34 million new jobs created since 2001 have gone to non-UK citizens.

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Education providers who want to bring non-EEA students must have a licence and comply with their sponsorship duties under the Tier 4 category of the points-based system.

Friday, 23 January 2009

A bill which requires newcomers to the UK to earn the right to stay here was recently published in Parliament.

Wednesday, 21 January 2009

The welfare of children in Britain’s immigration system is a top priority, according to new UK Border Agency guidelines announced on 6 January 2009.

Monday, 12 January 2009

A recent court ruling by a UK High Court has meant that visa extension rules from the old Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) will be made available for some individuals.

Thursday, 14 August 2008

The House of Lords have ruled that forcing a migrant to prove a relationship is genuine is 'arbitrary and unjust', even if they were getting married only weeks before their permission to stay in Britain ran out.

Monday, 11 August 2008

The UK Home Office has published proposals for much tighter rules for foreign students - and the universities and colleges hosting them - under the student tier of its new Points Based System.

Monday, 4 August 2008

The population of Scotland is at 25-year high thanks to a baby boom and increased migration to the country.

Monday, 4 August 2008

The British Government is considering raising the age at which a spouse can be brought to Britain from 18 to 21 in an apparent attempt to combat forced marriages, the Home Office announced today.

Friday, 25 July 2008

The British Government has announced that foreign nationals wishing to become British citizens will have to earn the right to stay.

Tuesday, 22 July 2008

The UK is currently deciding whether to alter the immigration rules regarding 11 countries.

Thursday, 17 July 2008

After the High Court Ruling that changes made to the HSMP Criteria were unlawful, the Home office has now implemented the judgement in the Immigration Rules.

Tuesday, 15 July 2008

A new Agreement between the UK and US governments will allow visitors between the two countries faster processing when they arrive in the other country.

Monday, 7 July 2008

UK Home Office has announced a number of proposed changes to Britain's short-term visa system.

Thursday, 3 July 2008

A points based skilled migrant scheme has been introduced on the 30th of June 2008 for migrants wishing to live in the UK.

Wednesday, 2 July 2008

UK's new points based immigration system, referred to as “Tier 1 (General)”, will go into effect on June 30, 2008 for all individuals looking to immigrate to the UK as a general highly skilled migrant.

Friday, 27 June 2008

A recent report from the Work Foundation London revealed that the UK will need to attract more highly skilled workers from overseas for its high technology and "knowledge intensive" industries.

Tuesday, 10 June 2008

Increasing numbers of British citizens are opting to make a new life in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Spain & USA, creating gaps in the UK workforce & community for skilled migrants to move in.

Monday, 26 May 2008

After two long years of hectic lobbying and long courtroom hours the House of Lords finally allowed Indian doctors on HSMP visas to train and work in the UK under the same conditions given to applicants from Britain and the European Union.

Wednesday, 7 May 2008

UK Immigration could give the city of Birmingham a much-needed population boost of 100,000.

Monday, 5 May 2008

Over the last decade, the British economy has benefited from the UK's high levels of immigration.

Thursday, 1 May 2008

Due to the unlawful changes to the immigration rules, an estimated 2,500 highly skilled Indian workers were forced to leave Britain, but may now be allowed to return to the UK.

Wednesday, 23 April 2008

Britain's High Court has recently declared that changes to the UK’s Highly Skilled Migrants Programme (HSMP) were unfair and unlawful.

Monday, 14 April 2008

The United Kingdom has approved the use of the TOEFL® test (Test of English as a Foreign Language) in its new immigration points-based system.

Thursday, 3 April 2008

By 2012, skilled migrant workers will contribute over £77 billion to the UK economy, says a recent report, “Future Flows”, by global recruitment consultancy, Harvey Nash.

Tuesday, 1 April 2008

The number of skilled migrants coming to live and work in Britain will reach an all-time peak this year, experts predicted this week.

Wednesday, 26 March 2008

Since entering the European Union in 2004, Poland and seven other eastern European states have collected 28 million GBP in Child Benefit money for children not living in the UK.

Tuesday, 25 March 2008

New immigration rules are being put in place to prevent UK visa fraud. These more stringent rules will come into affect this month.

Thursday, 20 March 2008

Everybody wants to study in the UK, or so it seems, as a recent report showed that there's been an almost 7% (over 26,000) increase in applications to UK universities and colleges in 2008.

Friday, 7 March 2008

The new points-based system for immigrants, which has come into force on last week Friday, the 29th of February, will let the right people into the UK, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had stated.

Tuesday, 4 March 2008

Britain is enjoying an influx of highly skilled migrants, whose numbers outweigh those leaving the country, a recent survey revealed.

Saturday, 1 March 2008

The UK's new points-based immigration system is finally seeing the light of day, as the UK Government has just published its details. The big day will be on the 29th of February when it will come into effect.

Monday, 11 February 2008

Britain is fast catching up to America's reputation as the most popular place for overseas students to study, according to a survey published last week.

Monday, 4 February 2008

If you would like to live and work in the United Kingdom, now is the best time to apply for a working visa, as from the 1st of March 2008, the current Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) and UK Work Permit scheme will be replaced by a brand new points-based system.

Tuesday, 15 January 2008

Over the last year, the United Kingdom has absorbed the most newcomers since 2001. The primary driving force has been migration from the countries that recently joined the European Union. Most newcomers have been quickly absorbed by the UK economy as workers.

Tuesday, 14 August 2007

The United Kingdom is introducing a Premium multiple entry visitor visa for frequent travelers with a trusted history of visiting the UK.

Tuesday, 7 August 2007

Two new UK visa offices are set to open in Thailand, in Taipei and Kaohsiung.

Friday, 3 August 2007

London may be beginning a new golden age as the dominant player in international finance.

Thursday, 2 August 2007

The UK government has announced a unified UK border enforcement agency. The new agency will unify the functions of the Border and Immigration Agency, Customs and UKvisas.

Wednesday, 1 August 2007

The Office of National Statistics has released a new study on Britain's wealth: 60% of the UK's overall financial value of about £6.5 trillion is tied up in property.

Tuesday, 24 July 2007

New Figures show that 2006 was a record year for the number of tourists visiting the UK Capital.

Friday, 15 June 2007

As the first quarter of the fiscal year draws to a close, the UK economy has posted growth of 2.9%.

Friday, 1 June 2007

The immigration rules have been widened to include graduates who have completed their studies in the UK allowing them to work for up to 12 months.

Friday, 4 May 2007

The UK Government plans to implement a new Australian style points based system to manage migration to the UK more effectively.

Friday, 20 April 2007

2008 will see the introduction of a new UK immigration scheme to reward highly skilled migrants, says Liam Byrne, UK Immigration Minister.

Thursday, 19 April 2007

In the past few weeks, the Home Office has announced key changes to several visa categories.

Tuesday, 3 April 2007

According to new figures issued by Assetz Property Investment Tracker the UK is the second most profitable country for buy to let investors.

Monday, 2 April 2007

Home Office minister Liam Byrne outlines new measures for immigration control.

Wednesday, 28 March 2007

The UK has introduced a new fast and secure method of clearing immigration method called IRIS Recognition Immigration System). IRIS recognises someone by the pattern of his or her iris which is also the most personally distinct external physical characteristic.

Wednesday, 21 March 2007

The Home Office and Foreign Commonwealth Office have announced the introduction of new fees for entry clearance for those applying to come into the UK to visit, study, live or work.

Monday, 19 March 2007

Following a High Court ruling, the Home Office has now relaxed the criteria for obtaining a Certificate of Approval (COA) for couples who wish to get married or enter into civil partnership in the UK.

Wednesday, 14 March 2007

The UK Government has announced new fees for immigration and nationality which will come into effect from April 2007.

Friday, 9 March 2007

The UK Government has introduced an additional requirement of language knowledge and “life in the UK” for those adults who are applying for indefinite leave to remain on or after 2nd April 2007.

Wednesday, 7 March 2007

International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced that UK’s macroeconomic performance remains ‘impressive’.

Tuesday, 6 March 2007

New requirements have been revealed for applicants in Pakistan who wish to come to the UK for longer than 6 months.

Monday, 5 March 2007

Revised guidelines have been issued by Work Permit UK affecting work permit holders on a six months work permit or less.

Saturday, 3 March 2007

Great opportunities are open to nurses to work in the over 20,000 private care homes for the elderly in Britain.

Thursday, 1 March 2007

The UK economy is booming! The country has experienced the fastest economic growth since 2004 which had led companies to step up hiring both domestic and overseas workers.

Wednesday, 14 February 2007

New laws intended to tighten the Government's grip on immigration after a string of headline-grabbing fiascos have cleared their first Commons hurdle.

Tuesday, 6 February 2007

New biometric technology launched at Birmingham Airport today has been introduced to boost Britain's border controls.

Monday, 5 February 2007

Macedonia is looking to be the next possible EU member, following in the footsteps of Bulgaria and Romania.

Wednesday, 31 January 2007

From 5 February 2007, visa applicants in Ghana and Kenya applying for UK visas valid for stays longer than six months will need to provide with their visa application a certificate confirming that they are free from infectious tuberculosis (TB).

Saturday, 27 January 2007

Suspension is still in place for some countries participating in the Working Holiday Maker Scheme.

Saturday, 20 January 2007

From 1st January 2007, as European Economic Area (EEA) nationals, Bulgarians and Romanians will be able to move and reside freely in any EU Member State.

Monday, 1 January 2007