UK Immigration News

In recent months Its understood that the European Union has been considering plans that will grant UK immigration exemption from freedom of movement rules for up to seven years. Meanwhile, EU member states are reviewing proposals that will give the UK continued access to the single market. Both plans could form part of a potential Brexit deal.

Alexander Downer, the Australian high commissioner to the UK, has stated that Britain's recent vote to leave the European Union should make Tier 2 immigration to the UK easier for Australians. According to Downer, Brexit 'represents an opportunity to renegotiate Tier 2 visa arrangements with the UK that would enable more Aussies to live and work there.'

'London needs a visa system of its own when Britain exits the European Union.' That's the view of Colin Stanbridge, chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce. London Mayor, Sadiq Khan is keen to keep London as the top financial centre in Europe; Stanbridge has called on him to introduce a visa system exclusively for London.

In the last Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship allocation notice before Britain's vote to leave the European Union, the number of Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) available for July stands at 2,722, according to UK Visas and Immigration data. The department published its June report citing that its figures were correct as of 17 June, 2016.

Newly installed UK Prime Minister (PM), Theresa May, has warned 'Brexit' voters that slashing UK immigration numbers will 'have to wait'; people had expected that Britain's recent decision to leave the European Union (EU) would lead to reduced immigration.

UK immigration minister, James Brokenshire, has dismissed promises made by Brexit backers during the recent referendum that the UK's new immigration system will be modelled on Australia's points-based system. In an address to MPs, he labelled the promises made by Vote Leave as 'premature.'