The Tier 1 Innovator visa category was introduced by the government as a replacement for the Entrepreneur visa and applications are due to open in April 2019, although some delays are anticipated. You can apply for an Innovator visa if you are a non-EEA national and you wish to establish or run a business in the UK. You will need to have your business or business idea endorsed by an approved body (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/endorsing-bodies-innovator) and they will provide you with an endorsement letter if approved. Read more...
In March 2018 the Home Office abolished the route to settlement that had long existed in the UK under the Ankara Agreement. The Home Office then issued replacement rules for Turkish national business people to obtain indefinite leave to remain. Read more...
The Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa ceased to exist on the 29th March 2019. This followed heavy scrutiny by central government which described it as ‘failing’, with Immigration Minister Caroline Noakes stating that it has contributed ‘little to the economy’. With the departure of the Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa route, the Home Office overhaul has incepted; introducing the new Tier 1 Start-Up Visa. Read more...
On 7 March 2019 the government issued a statement of changes to the Immigration Rules in a 296 page document. These changes take effect from 30 March 2019. If you require assistance with any issue arising as a result of the changes to the Immigration Rules, or another immigration matter, immigration director Tamana Aziz can assist. Read more...
Recent statistics indicate that the Home Office is owed most of the fines it has issued to employers under the ‘Civil Penalty Scheme’, a mechanism which allows the imposition of penalties on employers to ensure that they are compliant, particularly by conducting the ‘Right to work checks’ in line with the Immigration Rules. Read more...
In the event that the Home Office considers that you are breaching your sponsorship duties and pose a threat to immigration control, you might be subject to a sponsorship licence suspension pending further investigation. It is important to know what to do in this circumstance, so read on to find out your rights following a suspension or revocation and what the process entails. Read more...
After successfully gaining your sponsorship licence, your licence will last for a period of 4 years, at which point you will need to renew your sponsorship licence. Read more...
If you wish to employ a skilled worker from outside the UK or EU, you must first apply for a Tier 2 and/or Tier 5 sponsorship licence. A sponsorship licence is permission given by the Home Office to you as an organisation/business to sponsor migrants to work in the UK. Read more...
As a sponsor you must comply with certain duties under the Immigration Rules and have the required systems and procedures in place to retain your Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence. Read more...
If you are an overseas business from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland and you are planning to set up a branch in the UK, or a wholly owned subsidiary of an overseas parent company, you can apply to come and set up in the UK as a Representative of an Overseas Business under the Immigration Rules. Read more...
As we are approaching Brexit EU citizens’ rights has been a particular topic of discussion. In a bid to ensure those currently residing in the UK are able to remain, the UK government has introduced the EU settlement scheme. In this article we discuss the key things you need to know. Read more...