Category Archives: General UK Immigration News

Theresa May pushing for PNR system to be extended

Passenger Name Records, which are already used in connection with flights between Europe and America, allow authorities to collect information including name, passport number, home address, mobile phone number, credit card information and travel itinerary.  At the moment the United Kingdom is the only country in Europe to collect and analyse information on passengers through […]

e-Borders Scheme has led to the capture of 2,800 criminals

Key Statistics: E-Borders currently checks: 90% of flights from outside the European Union 60% of flights from within the European Union In 2010 / 2011 e-Borders has led to the capture of: 18 Murderers 27 Rapists 29 Sex Offenders 25 Violent Criminals Since 2005 the system has helped seize: Half a tonne of drugs 5 […]

New Knowledge of Language and Life test for Settlement Applications

Immigration categories affected by the new test: Tier 1 (Exceptional talent) Tier 1 (General) Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Tier 1 (Investor) Tier 2 (Intra company transfer) Tier 2 (General) Tier 2 (Minister of religion) Tier 2 (Sportsperson) work permit holder highly skilled migrant (excluding those covered by the HSMP ILR Judicial Review policy document) representative of […]

UKBA Sponsor Management System to be upgraded in 2011/2012

The new Sponsor Management System will include; Fully electronic case-working using online application forms and scanned documents A single document management centre where documents will be scanned and held unless originals are specifically requested by caseworkers Checks performed automatically before applications reach caseworkers Reduced requirement for caseworkers to access external databases Improved management information Between […]

New Immigration Fees from the 6th April 2011

Applications made outside of the UK Tier 1 (Entrepreneur, Investor, Exceptional Talent) Current Fees – £750 Fees from the 6th April 2011 – £800 Tier 1 Post Study Worker Current Fees – £344 Fees from the 6th April 2011 – £474 Tier 2 General (Main Applicant) Current Fees – £350 Fees from the 6th April […]

Sir Philip Green’s cleaner arrested for being an illegal immigrant

A spokesperson for Arcadia said told the Daily Mail that ‘We have for many years outsourced our cleaning operation to a third party. We are very concerned to hear of this alleged occurrence and we are looking into the matter with great urgency.  We are unable to comment further until we fully understand the circumstances.’ […]

Changes to UK Immigration will make it difficult for employers to recruit highly skilled professionals

Speaking to the Recruiter a partner of the law firm Irwin Mitchell, John Hayes, said that “This cap of 1,000 visas could potentially make it very difficult for highly skilled migrant workers to obtain a visa to enter the UK to work. The limit is likely to be seen as an arbitrary number by employers […]

Home Office & JobCentre Plus Strikes could affect Tier 2 Visa Approvals

Recently members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) voted in favour of industrial action with union members in both the Department of Work and Pensions and the Home Office backing action in two separate disputes. 70% of members at the DWP voted for strike action while 82% of Home Office members voted in […]

REC announces plans for an AWR Summit

Speaking on the summit, Kevin Green, the Chief Executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation said that “We are now only seven months away from the introduction of one of the most significant pieces of regulation ever to affect the recruitment industry.  Our members’ recent feed-back still shows that clear guidance is still needed and […]