UK Immigration News

There seems to be increasing support for scrapping the Tier 2 visa cap. The cap makes it more difficult for employers with a Tier 2 sponsor licence from bringing in people resident outside the UK. Those migrants who are able to apply for a Tier 2 visa from within the UK do not come under the Tier 2 restricted CoS cap anyway. The Migration Advisory Committee report on 18 September 2018 suggested that the cap should be removed.

There is still some degree of uncertainty over future UK visa policy after Brexit occurs. However, will Brexit ever happen? Even if it does happen it may be delayed for some time. Nigel Farage the former leader of UKIP has recently announced that "Leave" supporters should prepare for a second referundum.

The UK Immigration Health Surcharge, which had been expected to double in December 2018, will increase on 8 January 2019 the Home Office has confirmed.

On 6 December 2018, without warning, the Home Office wrongly announced the suspension of the Tier 1 investor visa scheme. However, the Home Office’s announcement was somewhat premature as other government departments opposed suspending the so called ‘golden visa.’  This UK visa has not been suspended.

A heavily delayed UK immigration White Paper was finally published by the government on 19 December, 2018 despite divisions within the Cabinet. The White Paper outlines Britain’s post-Brexit immigration policy, including foreigner worker rules, but Cabinet members were still squabbling over the White Paper just 24 hours before it was published.