UK Immigration News

The visa fee changes coming into effect from July in the UK are driving away international students and ruining the reputation of UK universities, said the vice-chancellor of the UK's Sheffield University and chairman of Universities UK's international strategy group, Robert Boucher.

On 15 June 2004, Work Permits (UK) announced that a limit had been placed on the number of Sector Based Scheme (SBS) permits that can be issued to a single nationality within a given sector. This limit was set at 20% of the overall quota. This quota has now been reached for Ukrainian nationals in the Food Manufacturing sector in SBS.

Under new plans agreed by the Home Office, every region in the UK will be able to publish a list of skills in short supply and it is up to the governing body in each region to decide on the contents of that list.

For example, the Scottish government will be able to submit a list of skills in short supply in Scotland, and immigrants with those skills will be allowed into the UK and directed to Scotland to work.

The UK's new Immigration and Asylum Bill will create a new points-based system for migrants who want to work in the UK. The Government says the scheme will increase public confidence in the immigration system by "allowing controlled immigration where it is in the UK's interest and preventing it where it is not".

Just a week after being reelected, Tony Blair revealed that changes to the government's immigration laws would affect foreign workers and overseas students.

Tony Blair looks set to be voted in for a historic third term as Prime Minister in the UK. Early results showed that his Labour Party won a sharply reduced majority in the British parliament.

Overall, the Labour Party has a more positive attitude towards immigration and this result will probably be welcomed by many immigrants and prospective immigrants to the UK.