Immigration News Weekly Roundup – 26 December 2025
In the news this week, the UK Government has made a notable exception to its tightened visa requirements by exempting foreign prison officers from the new stricter rules. This decision comes as the prison service faces significant staffing challenges, with the Home Office recognising the critical need for overseas workers to maintain security and operational capacity within correctional facilities. Whilst the Government has been pushing to reduce net migration through various visa restrictions, the exemption acknowledges that certain sectors cannot function effectively without international recruitment.
Meanwhile, Channel crossings have reached unprecedented levels for December, with more than 800 people making the dangerous journey across the English Channel in small boats. This figure represents the highest number recorded for the final month of the year, highlighting the persistent challenge facing UK border enforcement. The crossings occurred despite winter conditions that typically deter such attempts, suggesting increased desperation amongst those seeking to reach UK shores. The record-breaking numbers have reignited debates about border security measures and the effectiveness of current deterrence strategies, including the Government’s plans to process asylum claims more efficiently and strengthen agreements with European partners to disrupt smuggling networks.
Recent research has provided important clarity on asylum seekers’ use of the National Referral Mechanism for modern slavery claims. The report conclusively finds that asylum seekers are not widely abusing modern slavery rules, countering persistent concerns that the system was being exploited to delay deportations or strengthen asylum applications. The study examined patterns of referrals and outcomes, demonstrating that the majority of claims are genuine and that asylum seekers who enter the modern slavery system do so because they have experienced trafficking or exploitation. The research suggests that current safeguards are generally working as intended, protecting vulnerable individuals without creating widespread loopholes for abuse.
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For the full list of updates on media news, reports and Home Office Guidance and Policy updates, SEE BELOW.
HJT Training would like to wish all our peers in the immigration advisory community a well-deserved break. We hope you enjoy some well-earned rest over the festive season. We look forward to reconnecting with you in the new year with continued support for your professional development.
Immigration News
Foreign prison officers exempted from stricter visa rules – BBC News
Foreign nationals working as prison officers in the UK have been given a temporary exemption from new visa rules, following warnings some jails were facing a staffing crisis. The exemption only applies to applicants already in the country and lasts until the end of 2026, with a lower salary threshold of £33,400 in place until 31 December 2027. For full report, click here
UK leaving European convention on Human Rights would be a mistake, equalities chief warns – The Guardian
Mary-Ann Stephenson, who became chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in December, said the European convention on Human Rights (ECHR) was part of a framework that provides rights most people would agree were fundamental. For full report, click here
First asylum seekers expected to arrive in East Sussex barracks in New Year – The Guardian
The Home Office plans to send the first group of asylum seekers to a military site in East Sussex in the new year. Discussions in Whitehall are under way to use Crowborough army training camp within weeks as part of efforts to end the use of hotels for asylum accommodation. For full report, click here
More than 800 people cross Channel in dinghies, breaking record for December – The Guardian
More than 800 people crossed the Channel in small boats last week, a record for a day in December, according to the Home Office. Usually, December is traditionally one of the quietest months for Channel crossings, as a combination of low temperatures and stormy weather makes the journey particularly difficult. For full report, click here
UK asylum seekers not widely abusing modern slavery rules, report finds – The Guardian
A report from Bright Blue finds limited evidence that asylum seekers are falsely claiming to have been the victims of modern slavery to stay in the country, despite several Home Secretaries blaming the system for stopping them deporting more people. For full report, click here
Foreign prison officers exempted from stricter visa rules – BBC News UK
Foreign nationals working as prison officers in the UK have been given a temporary exemption from new visa rules, following warnings some jails were facing a staffing crisis. Prisons have increasingly been relying on overseas recruits, particularly from Nigeria and Ghana. For full report, click here
Case Law
R (Khan) v Coventry University [2025] EWHC 3120 (Admin)
The High Court has held that a university sponsor unlawfully failed to rescind its withdrawal of visa sponsorship when the student’s tuition fees were subsequently received following an administrative error by a third-party payment processor. Whilst emphasising that sponsors have strict compliance duties, the Court found that the university either fettered its discretion or acted irrationally by refusing even to consider whether sponsorship could be restored, particularly given that the student could have resumed studies within the permitted 60-day deferral period and completed his course before his visa expiry. For full decision, click here
Home Office Guidance and Documents Policy Updates
Guidance: Assessing age for asylum applicants: caseworker has been updated on 23rd December 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Deporting foreign nationals on conducive grounds: caseworker has been updated on 22nd December 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Register of licensed sponsors: students has been updated on 22nd December 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Register of licensed sponsors: workers has been updated on 22nd December 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Immigration status and enforcement action: caseworker has been updated on 19th December 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Collection: Archive: Immigration Rules has been updated on 19th December 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Immigration Rules archive: 25 November 2025 to 8 December 2025 has been published on 19th December 2025. To view the Guidance, click here
Guidance: Powers and operational procedure: caseworker has been updated on 19th December 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Returns preparation: caseworker has been updated on 19th December 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Knowledge of language and life in the UK: caseworker has been updated on 19th December 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Written by Shareen Khan – Legal Content Writer, HJT Training
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Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration advisors should consult the full decisions and official policy documents when advising clients on specific cases.
