Immigration News Weekly Roundup – 12 April 2024
The UK government’s efforts to overhaul the immigration system, have taken a significant step forward with delivery of a key measure aimed at reducing legal migration. Effective April 11th, the minimum income threshold required to sponsor someone coming to the UK on a family visa has risen from £18,600 to £29,000 – a substantial increase of over 55%. This figure is set to further escalate, reaching £38,700 by early 2025 to align with the new salary requirement for a Skilled Worker visa. These changes form the final part of the Prime Minister and Home Secretary’s package to cut, what they deem as unsustainable and unfair levels of migration, ensuring those arriving in the UK do not burden the taxpayer.
On the enforcement front, Immigration Officers descended upon a bed factory, acting on intelligence of illegal working practices on-site. The raid resulted in the arrest of seven Indian nationals suspected of illegal employment. An additional four Indian men were apprehended at a nearby cake factory, found to be in breach of their visa conditions, with one also working illegally. The two businesses now risk facing substantial fines if it is established that they knowingly employed illegal workers without conducting the necessary pre-employment checks.
While the government intensifies its efforts to curb migration, a report from employee relocation platform Jobbatical has highlighted concerns that the UK’s immigration policy is proving detrimental to businesses. The research revealed that a significant majority (58%) of organisations with 500 or more employees continue to rely on migrant workers to fill skills gaps, underscoring the value placed on international talent. However, businesses face substantial barriers in hiring from abroad, with visa and sponsorship costs (48%), lack of clarity over visa requirements (39%), and concerns over legal and regulatory compliance (38%) posing major challenges.
Amidst ongoing developments surrounding the government’s controversial Rwanda scheme for deporting Channel migrants, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed Rwandan President Paul Kagame to Downing Street. The meeting occurred as ministers grapple with finding an airline or housing in Kigali to facilitate the £500m deportation plan, which has yet to see any migrants deported since its announcement two years ago. Rwanda’s state airline has refused to assist in taking charter flights of deportees due to reputational risk. Despite these challenges, the UK government’s continued pursuit of the scheme raises significant concerns about the risk of deporting vulnerable migrants to a third country.
Furthermore, updates to the Immigration Rules have rolled out this week, with revisions made to the Appendices for Bereaved Partners, Rules Appendix FM: family members, Appendix Private Life, and Rules Appendix Long Residence. Several EUSS (EU Settlement Scheme) Guidance have also undergone updates.
The UK’s immigration policies underwent a radical transformation in Spring 2024, with sweeping changes impacting various sectors and migrant categories. New migration opportunities emerged for care workers, while significant shifts occurred in target income requirements for both workers and family migrants. Additionally, a new immigration salary list was introduced, along with dedicated routes for armed forces personnel and revised Appendices for Adoption and Long Residence. Eligibility criteria for sponsors in domestic abuse cases were also modified.
To gear up immigration advisors in meeting these challenges, HJT has scheduled a live online Flash course, Spring 2024 Rule changes on Friday, 26th April 2024.
Experts Mark Symes and Sacha Wooldridge will navigate the intricacies of the revamped Immigration Rules, addressing anxieties surrounding appendices, frustrations over minimum income requirements, and perplexities related to salary percentiles in this rapidly evolving landscape. For more information or to register, visit here.
For more information on our other live sessions, visit here For enquiries, contact us enquiries@hjt-training.co.uk or call 075441 64692.
Full list of updates on media news, reports and Home Office Policy and other document see below.
IMMIGRATION NEWS
Net migration package delivered as family visa tightened – UKVI
Income required to bring family to the UK increased as final measure to reduce legal migration comes into force.
The Home Secretary has delivered on his promise to transform the UK’s immigration system, cut unsustainable and unfair levels of migration, and ensure those arriving here do not burden the taxpayer.
The final measure in the Prime Minister and Home Secretary’s package to reduce legal migration will see the minimum income required to sponsor someone coming to the UK on a family visa increased from £18,600 to £29,000 on 11 April – an increase of more than 55%. By early 2025, this will have increased 2 more times, rising to £38,700 – to meet the new salary threshold for a Skilled Worker visa.
For full report, click here
Twelve arrested after Home Office raid on bed factory – UKVI
Immigration Enforcement officers descended on the business, acting on intelligence that illegal working was taking place on site.
They arrested 7 men – all Indian nationals – for suspected illegal working. Four more Indian men were arrested at a nearby cake factory. They were found to be in breach of their visa conditions, and one was also working illegally.
The 2 businesses could now face substantial fines if it is established, they have employed illegal workers and have failed to conduct relevant pre-employment checks.
For full report, click here.
150 asylum hotels returned to communities – UKVI
One hundred and fifty asylum hotels will be closed by the beginning of May, reducing the strain of illegal migration on local communities, as discussions progress between the Home Office and the local council on the future use of RAF Scampton.
The department is making rapid progress on returning hotels to communities, building on the closure of the hundredth hotel last month, and moving residents into large sites and the private rented sector.
More hotels will be closed in due course, delivering on the Home Secretary’s promise to reduce the use of this type of accommodation.
For full report, click here
UK immigration policy ‘harmful to businesses’ – Personnel Today
The UK’s immigration policy is harmful to businesses, as a significant majority of organisations still rely on international workers to plug skills gaps, a report has claimed.
Research from employee relocation platform Jobbatical found that international talent is still hugely valued by business leaders, with 58% of organisations with 500 employees or more stating that they rely on migrant workers to solve skills shortages.
Yet, visa and sponsorship costs (48%) are the biggest barrier holding businesses back from hiring international workers, while 39% lack clarity over processes such as visa requirements and 38% are concerned about legal and regulatory compliance.
For full report, click here
Rwandan state airline rejected UK proposal to fly asylum seekers to Kigali -Financial Times
Rwanda’s state-owned airline turned down a UK government proposal to transport asylum seekers to Kigali as part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s migrant offshoring plan because it feared damaging its brand.
RwandAir was approached by the UK government late last year about running removal flights from Britain to Rwanda but declined the offer because of concerns about reputational risk, according to two people briefed on the situation.
For full report, click here
PSNI reported tens of thousands of migrant victims and witnesses of crime to immigration authorities – Belfast Times
Tens of thousands of migrant victims and witnesses of crime, including those subjected to racist attacks and domestic abuse, were reported by the PSNI to the UK immigration authorities over a five-year period. Between October 2018 and March 2023, police reported an estimated 29 victims and witnesses of crime each day to the Home Office.
In a letter from the PSNI to the Policing Board the force said it stopped its policy of automatically sharing victims’ data with the Home Office in March last year following a review. Before the change, police were reporting around 40 people to the Home Office every day, including an estimated 29 victims and witnesses of crime and 11 suspects.
The letter stated that since the policy change, police are now reporting around 11 suspects every day.
For full report, click here.
Spending foreign aid budget on refugees in UK is ‘wreaking havoc’, says watchdog – The Guardian
The UK government’s decision to use the overseas aid budget to pay for supporting refugees in Britain is “wreaking havoc” with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s development partnerships, an official government watchdog said on Wednesday after it was revealed that £4.3bn was diverted to support refugees in 2023.
The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI), which oversees foreign aid, said the system of loading the housing costs of UK asylum seekers on to a budget set aside to alleviate poverty abroad was creating “perverse incentives”, adding that the FCDO in effect “has to take the financial hit” for the Home Office’s overspending.
For full report, click here
Briton and French wife face £11,000 Brexit visa bill to return home to UK – The Guardian
A British man with Parkinson’s disease and his wife living in France say they have been left stranded on the continent because of “insulting” post-Brexit immigration rules.
They worked and paid taxes for decades in the UK but say they have had the “door slammed in our faces” and have been told they must pay £11,000 if they want to return.
For full report, click here
Sunak welcomes Kagame to No 10 as Rwanda scheme hits fresh snags
Rishi Sunak has welcomed the Rwandan president to Downing Street amid signs that ministers are struggling to find an airline or housing in Kigali to carry out their flagship deportation plan.
The two leaders discussed the £500m plan before Sunak’s safety of Rwanda bill returns to the Commons on Monday – exactly two years after Boris Johnson announced the plan to deport “tens of thousands” of people arriving across the Channel in small boats. So far, none have been sent.
For full report, click here.
Albanians willing to be repatriated detained for weeks in UK, watchdog finds – The Guardian
Albanians volunteering to be repatriated under a fast-track deportation deal are being detained unnecessarily for several weeks at taxpayers’ expense, the prisons watchdog has found.
HM chief inspector of prisons also found that staff did not know about the vulnerabilities of detainees held in deportation centres before being removed to Tirana, and some were not being given privacy while using the lavatory.
For full report, click here
HOME OFFICE POLICY DOCUMENTS AND GUIDANCE UPDATES
Immigration Rules Appendix Bereaved Partner has been updated on 11th April 2024. To view the updated Rules, click here
Immigration Rules Appendix FM: family members have been updated on 11th April 2024. To view the updated Rules, click here.
Immigration Rules Appendix Private Life have been updated on 11th April 2024. To view the updated Rules, click here
Immigration Rules Appendix Long Residence have been updated on 11th April 2024. To view the updated Rules, click here
Immigration Rules Appendix HM Armed Forces have been updated on 11th April 2024. To view the updated Rules, click here
Immigration Rules Appendix International Armed Forces and International Civilian Employees have been updated on 11th April 2024. To view the updated Rules, click here.
Immigration Rules part 9: grounds for refusal has been updated on 11th April 2024. To view the updated Rules, click here.
Immigration Rules part 8: family members have been updated on 11th April 2024. To view the updated Rules, click here
Immigration Rules part 7: other categories have been updated on 11th April 2024. To view the updated Rules, click here
Asylum accommodation: Scampton has been updated on 10th April 2024. To view the updated material, click here
Immigration Rules Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas) has been updated on 10th April 2024. To view the updated Rules, click here.
Guidance: EU Settlement Scheme: suitability requirements has been updated on 9th April 2024. To view the updated Guidance, click here.
Guidance: EU Settlement Scheme: derivative right to reside (Chen and Ibrahim/Teixeira cases) have been updated on 9th April 2024. To view the updated Guidance, click here.
Guidance: EU Settlement Scheme: family member of a qualifying British citizen have been updated on 9th April 2024. To view the updated Guidance, click here.
EU Settlement Scheme interim guidance: gender identity and sex markers on documents have been updated on 9th April 2024. To view the updated Guidance, click here.
Guidance EU Settlement Scheme: person with a Zambrano right to reside has been updated on 9th April 2024. To view the updated Guidance, click here.
Guidance: Women in the immigration removal estate has been updated on 8th April 2024. To view the updated Guidance, click here.
STAY TUNED FOR MORE IMMIGRATION NEWS NEXT WEEK!
