New Sponsor UK System & Sponsor Guidance Updates
The latest updates to the UK’s sponsor guidance, effective from 24 October 2024, bring notable changes for sponsors in the Worker and Temporary Worker categories, particularly as the Home Office begins implementing its new ‘Sponsor UK’ IT system. This update outlines the key changes, the impact on sponsor licence holders and the steps to consider […]
Legal Directories Recognise DavidsonMorris’ Immigration Expertise
DavidsonMorris has been recognised by both the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners for expertise in UK immigration law in their latest guides to the legal market. Legal 500 UK The Legal 500 writes in its new 2024 edition: “With particular skill handling Sponsor Licence applications, DavidsonMorris advises a broad range of […]
BRPs No Longer Issued from 31 October 2024
The UK Home Office has confirmed that Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) will no longer be issued after 31 October 2024. This confirmation comes as the BRP replacement service also ceased operations last month. Visa holders now need to switch to an electronic visa (eVisa) by creating a UKVI account, which will store their immigration status […]
Surge in Sponsor Licence Suspensions & Revocations
Sponsor licence suspensions and revocations have this year reached an unprecedented high compared to figures from previous years. According to recent Home Office data, there has been a 109% increase in suspensions and a 51% rise in revocations since 2023. Beyond sponsor-specific obligations, the Home Office is also clamping down on wider immigration and employment law […]
Immigration Implications of Employment Rights Bill
The newly-published Employment Rights Bill is set to bring significant reform of UK workplace rights. The details of the changes will start to emerge as the Bill passes through the legislative process. For employers, this insight cannot come soon enough, as efforts will need to be made to review the new rules, assess current organisational […]
BRP Replacement Service Now Closed as eVisas Roll Out
The Home Office has confirmed that the BRP replacement service is now closed to new applications, and no new physical BRPs will be issued after 31 October 2024. Closure of BRP Replacement Services as eVisas Roll Out The Home Office has amended various guidance documents to reflect the withdrawal of the replacement Biometric […]
Refused Tier 1 Entrepreneur Extension Overturned: Home Office Error
In R (on the application of Ghadam) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Home Office was found to have followed an incorrect procedure in refusing an extension of a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur visa). Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa Refusal Successfully Challenged The applicant, an Iranian citizen, arrived in the UK in July […]
Jordan Nationals No Longer Eligible for UK ETA
As of 15:00 BST on 10 September 2024, nationals of Jordan are now required to obtain a visa before visiting or transiting through the UK. The change, outlined in the Home Office’s Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules (HC 217), adds Jordan to the visa national list and removes it from the Electronic Travel […]
King’s Speech 2024: Immigration Reforms
At the State Opening of Parliament on 17 July 2024, marking the first session since the most recent UK general election, King Charles presented the new Government’s upcoming legislative agenda. In this update, we set out the main provisions relating to UK immigration. Section A: Business Immigration The speech referred to the introduction […]
Further UK Visa Fee Increases Announced for 2024
Further increases to Home Office services have been confirmed by the Government. These increases follow the wide-ranging uplifts that took effect in October 2023, as well as the more recent increase in the Immigration Health Surcharge and the uplift in the minimum salary thresholds for Skilled Worker visas. Increased UK visa & immigration fees […]