– Minimum salary requirement for a skilled worker visa will rise from £26,200 to £38,700 on the 4th of April 2024 and removing the 20% going rate discount for occupations on the Shortage Occupation List (being renamed the Immigration Salary List);
– Immigration Health Surcharge has risen from £624 to £1035 per year per applicant from 6 February 2024;
– Increase of immigration fines for employing illegal workers.The fines for employing illegal workers in the UK will increase from £20,000 to £45,000 on 13 February 2024 and for repeated breaches within 3 years fines will increase to £60,000 per illegal worker;
– Graduate visa route is currently under review by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC)which could be either suspended or restricted;
– From 11 April 2024 first time spouse visa applicants will need to show that their UK partner’s income is £29,000 (increase from £18,600) which eventually will increase to £34,500 and £38,700 accordingly. However, showing income with savings will stay at £62,500 for now;
– Existing leave to remain visa holders with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), and new applicants for leave, will be able to create a UKVI account from April 2024. This is in relation to digital status, which the Home Office plans to replace BRPs in full from the beginning of 2025;
– From 1 January 2024 International students (student visa holders) will not be able to bring their spouses and children to UK unless they are studying either for a PhD or a research based higher degree;
– From 11 March 2024, care workers and senior care workers will not be allowed to bring their dependents to the UK;
– Existing Employer Sponsor Licences for UK based companies have been automatically extended until 2034.
The changes relating to the Student route, and consequential changes to work routes, came into effect at 15:00 on 17 July 2023. The changes in relation to dependants will only apply to those students starting courses from 1 January 2024, so there will be no effect on those students making applications relating to courses starting in autumn 2023.
– Removing the right for international students to bring dependants unless they are on postgraduate courses currently designated as research programmes; and
– Removing the ability for international students to switch out of the student route into work routes before their studies have been completed.
Exemption is applicable to dependants that are already in the UK to extend their stay, and for international students on taught postgraduate courses beginning before 1 January 2024 to bring dependants. Dependants of government-sponsored students and for dependent children who are born in the UK will also be exempt.
The switching restrictions will ensure that students are generally not switching incountry to another route until they have completed their courses. Students on courses at degree level or above will be able to apply before course completion to switch to sponsored work routes, as long as their employment start date is not before their course completion. Those studying towards PhDs will be able to switch after 24 months’ study. “Research based higher degree” means a postgraduate programme comprising a research component (including a requirement to produce original work) that is large than any accompanying taught component when measure by student effort”.
Changes to the Skilled Worker route
The following jobs have been included in the Shortage Occupation List. Many jobs in construction industry have been included in the Shortage Occupation List.
5312 Bricklayers and masons
5313 Roofers, roof tilers and slaters
5315 Carpenters and joiners
5319 Construction and building trades not elsewhere classified
5321 Plasterers
Jobs in the fishing industry in the following occupations are also being added to the Shortage Occupation List:
5119 Agriculture and fishing trades not elsewhere classified
9119 Fishing and other elementary agriculture occupations not elsewhere classified
The Shortage Occupation List offers lower salary requirements and lower visa application fees for jobs identified as being in shortage and where immigration is a sensible part of addressing that shortage.
Skilled Worker, Global business mobility and Scale-up routes – Genuineness requirement
From the 7th of August for consistency skilled worker, global business mobility and scale-up routes will be subject to a new genuineness test requirement where applicants must genuinely intend to undertake their sponsored job, and not intend to work in breach of their conditions.
Changes to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) and EUSS family permit
The changes in respect of the Immigration Rules for the EUSS:
– Valid application – to make meeting the deadline (31 December 2020) for the application a validity rather than an eligibility requirement;
– Route closures – to close the EUSS on 8 August 2023 to new applications under two routes not covered by the Agreements: family member of a qualifying British citizen (on their return to the UK having exercised free movement rights in the EEA or Switzerland, known as ‘Surinder Singh’ cases) and primary carer of a British citizen (known as ‘Zambrano’ cases). These routes will remain open to those who are already on them (or with a pending application, administrative review or appeal) or who have pending access to them via a relevant EUSS family permit.
– Dependent relatives – to include within the EUSS the child of a durable partner where the child has turned 18 since they were granted pre-settled status under the scheme.
Extension of the Ukraine Extension Scheme
Ukrainian nationals who obtained permission to enter or stay in the UK for any period between 18 March 2022 and 16 November 2023 are allowed to apply to the Ukraine Extension Scheme and obtain 36 months’ permission to stay in the UK.
Ukrainian nationals who travel to the UK without making an application to one of the Ukraine Schemes can be considered for six months’ Leave Outside the Rules at the border.
New Visa Nationals List
Effective from 19th of July 2023 the following nationalities have been included into the Visa National List which means that these nationalities will need to apply for a visa before they can travel to the UK.
– Dominica
– Honduras
– Namibia
– Timor-Leste
– Vanuatu
– Replacing the Innovator visa and suspending the start up visa categories with the new Innovator Founder route. The new route will make provision for overseas nationals seeking entry for the purpose of establishing an innovative business with an Innovator Founder route.The new route removes the £50k minimum funds requirement currently applied to those coming to the UK to establish an innovative business in order to make more flexible provision for those with a genuine proposal for an innovative business and sufficient funds to deliver it. The changes also relax existing restrictions on Innovator migrants engaging in employment outside the running of their business, provided such secondary employment is in skilled roles (i.e., at least skilled to RQF Level 3).
– The Start up route will be closed to new initial applications except where they are supported by endorsements issued before 13 April 2023. With the removal of the £50k minimum funds requirement for Innovator Founders, it is no longer necessary to retain a separate route for start-up entrepreneurs that do not have access to this level of funds.
– Skilled worker/Global Business Mobility/Scale-up/Seasonal Worker. Salary thresholds and going rates for individual occupations are being updated, based on the latest available UK salary data. Clarification is also being added to how salaries are considered where an applicant is working a pattern where the regular hours are not the same each week. These changes relate to the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility, Scale-up and Seasonal Worker routes.
– Introducing a new Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETA) which will apply to third country national (i.e., not British or Irish) passengers visiting the UK or transiting the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays, as well as those using the Creative Worker route for a short stay;
– Changes to the Long Residence rules for indefinite leave to remain. The current definition of what constitutes lawful residence in the long residence rules is not clear, and this has led to confusion. The rules are changing to not allow any period on immigration bail to count towards the qualifying period for long residence in any circumstances. The changes will also not allow time as a visitor, short-term student and on the seasonal worker routes to count towards long residence. This makes it clear that time spent on a route which both allows for a maximum grant of permission of 12 months, and where switching is generally not allowed (so there is the strongest possible expectation that the person will leave the UK at the end of a short stay), cannot count towards settlement on the basis of long residence. A person who has spent a period of time on immigration bail or as a visitor (or other temporary permission) who is later granted permission on another basis will still be able to qualify for long residence settlement, but they will need to wait longer to do so.
– Global Business Mobility. A change is being made to the Immigration Rules for the Global Business Mobility UK Expansion Worker route to reflect commitments the UK has made in the UK- Australia Free Trade Agreement. Australian nationals and permanent residents coming to the UK to open a branch or subsidiary of their Australian employer will not need to demonstrate that they have worked for their overseas employer for 12 months prior to coming to the UK.
– Changes to the Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS). The Youth Mobility Scheme route implements the international commitments we take to provide cultural exchange programmes for young people. The UK’s existing reciprocal, bilateral arrangement with New Zealand has been enhanced – the age range is being expanded from 18-30 to 18-35 and the length of stay is being increased from 2 to 3 years.;
]]>Work related visas (such as skilled worker, senior or specialist worker visas) were in total 267,670 where skilled worker and skilled worker – health and care visas consisted of 54%. The highest number of work related visa applications came from Indian nationals.
Student visa applications were 485,758 where highest number of applications were from Indian nationals (139,539) and Chinese nationals (102,842).
In 2022 there were around 57,000 organisations and companies that registered for sponsor licences for work and study.
For indefinite leave to remain there were 133451 applications and 131,728 (99%) were approved while for British citizenship there were in total 190,741 applications and 46,661 applications were from EU nationals.
]]>It is mandatory for the registered sponsor to provide an accommodation/a room to stay for the Ukrainian national for 6 months. The Home Office will pay to the sponsor £350 per month (for up to 12 months) a thank you payment.
To apply to the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme the applicant must be Ukrainian, or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national, who:
has been residing in Ukraine on or immediately before 1 January 2022 (including those who have now left Ukraine)
is currently outside the UK
has a UK-based sponsor who is eligible for the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.
Permission to stay in the UK will be given for up to 3 years which can be extended. This permission will allow them to study, live and work in the UK.
]]>The Home Office has introduced new visa routes which will bring more highly skilled migrants to the UK. The new visa types are the followings:
Scale up visa route;
High Potential Individual (HPI) route; and
Global Business Mobility visa.
The Scale-up visa route
The Scale-up visa will allow those with a job offer at the required skills level from a recognised UK scale-up to qualify for a fast track visa.
It is mandatory to have a job offer from an authorised UK scale-up company. UK companies that have an annualised growth of at least 20% for the previous 3 year period in terms of turnover or staffing and have had minimum of 10 employees at the start of this 3 year period can register with the Home Office as a scale-up company.
The Job offer must bee skilled to graduate level and annual salary must be at least £33000 per year or the going rate for the particular vacancy, whichever is higher.
If successful, the Scale-up visa will be issued for 2 years and with further extension of 3 years. At the end of 5 years of residency it will be possible to apply for indefinite leave to remain.
The main advantage of the scale up visa route is that it is only mandatory for a migrant worker to work for a scale up company for the first 6 months and after that their immigration status will no longer be tied to that employer and they can join another company with at least £33,000 salary per annum.
High Potential Individual (HPI) route;
The High Potential Individual visa will be issued for those people that they have successfully completed their Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree courses in one of the top 50 Global Universities (excluding UK Universities as there is already a graduate visa route for those graduates) during the last 5 years from the date of application.
The list of top 50 universities will be published by the Home Office but they will be taken from:
1. Times Higher Education World University Rankings;
2. Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings;
3. The Academic Ranking of World Universities.
Permission will be granted for a period of 2 years for Bachelor’s and Master’s level degree holders and for 3 years for PhD graduates.
Global Business Mobility route
This visa route replaces current Skilled worker (Intra Company Transfer route) and Representatives of an Overseas Business visa routes.
The Global Business Mobility route is designed for overseas businesses seeking to establish presence in or transfer staff to, the UK for specific business purposes. In total there will be 5 various routes within the Global Business Mobility route. They are:
The Senior or Specialist Worker is for senior managers who are being assigned to work in the UK and it replaces current Intra Company Transfer route.
The Graduate Trainee route is for workers that are on a graduate training course leading to a senior management position and it replaces current the Intra Company Graduate Trainee route.
The UK Expansion Worker replaces current the Sole Representative of an Overseas Business route.
The Service Supplier is designed for contractual service suppliers employed by an overseas business. This visa route replaces current the contractual service supplier in the Temporary Work – International Agreement route.
The Secondment Worker is a new route for workers being seconded to the UK by their companies from abroad.
]]>Under the new Ukraine Family Scheme Visa family members of British citizens and people settled in the UK can bring their family members to the UK.
In order to apply for the Ukraine Family Scheme it is mandatory to show that you are a Ukrainian and a family member of your UK based relative and have been living in Ukraine on or before 1 January 2022.
Family members are immediate, extended and an immediate family of an extended family members.
Immediate family members are:
– Spouse or civil partner
– Unmarried partner (you must have been living together in a relationship for at least two years)
– child who is under 18
– parent (if you are under 18)
– fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner
Extended family members are:
– Parent (if you are over 18)
– Child who is over 18
– Grandparent
– Grandchild or your partner’s grandchild
– Brother or sister
– Aunt or uncle
– Niece or nephew
– Cousin
– Mother-in-law or father-in-law
– Grandparent-in-law
– Brother or sister-in-law
Immediate family member of an extended family members are
– Spouse or civil partner of an extended family member;
– Child under 18 of an extended family member;
– Parent of a child under 18 who is an extended family member;
– Fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner of an extended family member
If successful a visa for 3 years will be issued.
]]>Due to current ongoing war in Ukraine, the UK Government introduced some measures to support family members of British citizens in Ukraine and Ukrainians in Ukraine and the UK.
Main points are the followings:
Non British family members of British citizens in Ukraine can apply for a family member visa free of charge and can apply either at the Lemberg Business Centre in Lviv or at UK Visa Centres in neighbouring countries such as Poland, Romania, Moldova and Hungary;
Ukrainians on a visitor visa in the UK can switch into (temporary concession) a points based route or a family visa route or another eligible visa type in the UK.
]]>Your visa will be extended to 31 May 2020 if you cannot leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to coronavirus (COVID-19).
You must contact the Coronavirus Immigration Team (CIT) to update your records if your visa is expiring and you were not planning to stay in the UK.
You should provide:
The email must be in English.
You can apply from the UK to switch to a long-term UK visa until 31 May 2020. This includes applications where you would usually need to apply for a visa from your home country.
You’ll need to meet the requirements of the route you are applying for and pay the UK application fee.
This includes those whose leave has already been automatically extended to 31 March 2020.
You can apply online. The terms of your leave will remain the same until your application is decided.
UK Visa and Citizenship Application Centres (UKVCAS) and Service and Support Centres (SSCs) are temporarily closed because of coronavirus (COVID-19).
You cannot book an appointment.
If you’ve already made an appointment to attend a UKVCAS or an SSC, you will be contacted to be informed that it has been cancelled. You’ll be advised when you can book a new appointment.
Your immigration status in the UK will not change as a result of you not being able to attend an appointment.
You no longer need to employ at least 2 people for 12 consecutive months each. The 12 month period you are required to employ someone for can be made up of multiple employees across different months.
Time when your employees were furloughed will not count towards the 12 month period.
If have not been able to employ staff for 12 months in total by the time your visa expires, you will be allowed to temporarily extend your stay to give you time to meet the requirement.
Your visa will be automatically extended by one year if it is due to expire before 1 October 2020. Family members with a visa due to expire before 1 October 2020 will also have their visa extended.
The extension is free and you will not have to pay the immigration health surcharge.
You do not need to apply. The Home Office will contact NHS employers to identify staff eligible for this extension.
The Home Office will tell you and your employer if you have received an automatic extension.
There is no longer a limit on the number of hours you can work or volunteer each week if you work for the NHS as a doctor, nurse of paramedic and you are a:
The deadline for you to sit the Occupational Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) has been extended to 31 December 2020.
All UK Visa Application Centres (VACs) are closed. For updates to the status of VACs in your country, contact:
In some areas UKVI cannot send visa vignettes across borders and routes due to restrictions.
If you have an appointment and the VAC is now closed, you’ll be contacted and told your appointment will not take place.
English Testing Centres are also affected. Visit the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)’s website or contact your test centre for more information.
Due to worldwide border, travel and public health restrictions it may not be possible to return your passport at this time.
If you have submitted your passport and would like it returned, you must contact the visa application centre where you logged your application to see if courier return is available in your location.
If your country‘s VAC is closed, you won’t be able to apply for a British passport. If you urgently need to travel to the UK, you can apply for an emergency travel document.
If your endorsement from an endorsing body has expired because you have not been able to travel to the UK you may still be eligible for a visa. You should make your application as planned and the Home Office will consider all applications on a case by case basis.
If you have immigration queries related to coronavirus, please email the Coronavirus Immigration Help Centre.
Email: CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk. Your email must be in English.
You can also call the Coronavirus Immigration Help Centre. If you’ve emailed the help centre already, please do not contact them by phone.
Telephone: 0800 678 1767 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
Calls are free of charge.
Source: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents
]]>Skilled workers (Tier 2 General or previously known as a work permit visa)
The points-based system will provide simple, effective and flexible arrangements for skilled workers from around the world to come to the UK through an employer-led system. All applicants, both EU and non-EU citizens, will need to demonstrate that they have a job offer from an approved sponsor, that the job offer is at the required skill level, and that they speak English. In addition to this, if the applicant earns more than the minimum salary threshold then the individual would be eligible to make an application. However, if they earn less than the required minimum salary threshold, but no less than £20,480, they may still be able to come if they can demonstrate that they have a job offer in a specific shortage occupation, as designated by the MAC, or that they have a PhD relevant to the job. In effect, applicants will be able to ‘trade’ characteristics such as their specific job offer and qualifications against a salary lower than the minimum salary or the ‘going rate’ in their field.
The Home Office will suspend the cap on the number of people who can come on the skilled worker route and remove the resident labour market test. These changes will ensure that a wide pool of skilled workers will be able to come to the UK from anywhere in the world and the process will be made simpler and quicker for employers.
Characteristics Tradeable Points
Offer of job by approved sponsor No 20
Job at appropriate skill level No 20
Speaks English at required level No 10
Salary of £20,480 (minimum) – £23,039 Yes 0
Salary of £23,040 – £25,599 Yes 10
Salary of £25,600 or above Yes 20
Job in a shortage occupation Yes 20
Education qualification: PhD in subject relevant to the job Yes 10
Education qualification: PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job Yes 20
A total of 70 points is required to be eligible to apply; some characteristics are tradeable.
For example, a University researcher in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subject wishing to come to the UK on a salary of £22,000, (which is below the general minimum salary threshold), may still be able to enter the UK if they have a relevant PhD in a STEM subject. Likewise, a nurse wishing to come to the UK on a salary of £22,000 would still be able to enter the UK on the basis that the individual would be working in a shortage occupation, provided it continues to be designated in shortage by the MAC.
Highly-skilled workers (formerly known as Tier 1General or Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP)
From January 2021, The Home Office will extend the current Global Talent route to EU citizens on the same basis as non-EU citizens. The most highly skilled, who can achieve the required level of points, will be able to enter the UK without a job offer if they are endorsed by a relevant and competent body. This scheme has recently been expanded to be more accessible to those with a background in STEM subjects who wish to come to the UK.
Additionally, in line with the recommendations from the MAC, the Home Office will create a broader unsponsored route within the points-based system to run alongside the employer-led system. This will allow a smaller number of the most highly-skilled workers to come to the UK without a job offer. This route would be capped and example characteristics for which points could be awarded include academic qualifications, age and relevant work experience.
Migrant journey from January 2021
1. EU citizens and non-visa nationals will not require a visa to enter the country when visiting. All migrants looking to enter the UK for other reasons (such as work or study) will need to apply for permission in advance. Those who come to the UK as a visitor will need to leave the country before making an application to another route.
2. For those who need a visa, migrants will make their application online. Most EU citizens will complete their application online, while non-EU citizens will continue to go to Visa Application Centres (VACs) to enrol their biometrics.
3. Citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA, who possess biometric passports, will continue to be able to use e-gates to pass through the UK border either as a visitor or with prior permission. We will also unilaterally allow EU citizens to continue to use e-gates, but we will keep this policy under review. Others will need to see a Border Force officer.
4. Living in the UK. EU citizens will use the online checking service to demonstrate their immigration status and their rights and entitlements, where permitted, when accessing work and services in the UK. For many EU citizens, their status will automatically be available when seeking to access benefits or the NHS. Non-EU citizens will continue to use their physical documentation.
5. Leaving the UK after leave has expired, or not leaving at all when required to, will impact a migrant’s immigration status and will affect future interactions with UK immigration.
]]>