Weekly Roundup – 20 June 2025
The UK government’s immigration reforms continue to face scrutiny, as new analysis reveals potential complications for key policy objectives. This week brought fresh concerns about labour shortages in critical sectors, alongside developments in enforcement strategies and asylum processing.
A report by the Centre for European Reform has highlighted significant risks to the government’s net zero ambitions under the proposed immigration restrictions. The analysis suggests that more than half of foreign-born workers currently employed in “green jobs” – approximately 260,000 out of 465,000 – would not have qualified for entry under the new visa requirements. These positions, defined as roles where over a third of working time involves green tasks, are predominantly concentrated in the construction sector, which faces particular challenges in meeting both decarbonisation and housebuilding targets.
The construction industry emerges as a focal point of concern, with the CER report noting the sector’s labour-intensive nature and high employee turnover rates. Given the government’s commitment to building 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliament whilst simultaneously decarbonising existing buildings, the potential for labour shortages appears acute. The report warns that such shortages could increase costs for consumers, potentially deterring uptake of green technologies like heat pumps and home insulation.
Meanwhile, the UK government continues to pursue its “smash the gangs” strategy, though progress remains difficult to measure. As of 16 June, 16,545 people had arrived in small boats this year, representing a nearly one-third increase compared to the same period in 2024. French authorities report preventing approximately 24,791 crossings between July 2024 and May 2025 under the existing £476 million three-year agreement, though the ultimate fate of these individuals remains unclear.
The asylum system shows mixed progress against government pledges. Whilst there has been a 58 per cent increase in decision-making since last summer, helping to reduce the overall backlog from its June 2024 peak, hotel accommodation numbers tell a different story. By March 2025, 32,345 asylum seekers were housed in hotels compared to 29,585 at the end of June 2024, despite Labour’s manifesto commitment to end asylum hotels by 2029. The number of operational asylum hotels also increased from 212 in July to 218 in December 2024.
Court appeals present another growing challenge, with the backlog reaching a record high of nearly 51,000 cases in March 2025. This represents a significant deterioration since the summer election, adding pressure to an already strained system.
Returns activity has shown some improvement, with 29,867 returns recorded between July 2024 and May 2025, marking a 12 per cent increase year-on-year. However, only 7,893 were classified as enforced removals, with the remainder including voluntary departures that may not have required government intervention.
At the G7 summit in Canada, Prime Minister Keir Starmer outlined plans for a more “transactional” approach to visa arrangements. Countries that refuse to accept returned asylum seekers or fail to cooperate in prevention efforts may face restrictions on visa applications for their nationals. This strategy builds on existing returns agreements with eleven countries, including Albania, India, Pakistan, and Nigeria, which have proven effective deterrents.
The UK government’s broader immigration White Paper, released in May, proposes raising minimum qualifications for skilled worker visas from A-level to degree level whilst maintaining the £38,700 salary threshold. These measures aim to reduce net migration, which peaked at over 900,000 in the year to June 2023 before falling to 431,000 in the 2024 calendar year following Conservative reforms.
Industry voices continue to express concern about the potential impact on skills availability. RSM UK’s head of technology industry, Ben Bilsland, warned that immigration policy must not become a “roadblock” to accessing vital digital skills, particularly as the UK develops its Industrial Strategy. Research indicates that over a third of the UK’s fastest-growing companies have founders born outside Britain, highlighting the contribution of immigrant entrepreneurs to economic growth.
The proposed changes include stricter English language requirements, with skilled worker standards rising from B1 to B2 level, and a new A1 requirement for adult dependants. The qualifying period for permanent residence would double from five to ten years, though some accelerated routes remain under consideration.
Universities face additional pressures through proposed levy arrangements on international student income, with proceeds earmarked for domestic education and skills development. The Graduate visa duration would reduce from two years to 18 months, whilst compliance requirements for student visa sponsorship become more stringent.
Enforcement action against sponsor licence holders has intensified significantly over the past two years. The first quarter of 2025 recorded 339 Skilled Worker sponsor licence suspensions and 276 revocations, representing substantial increases from the corresponding period in 2023 when 148 suspensions and 139 revocations were implemented. This escalation reflects the Home Office’s heightened scrutiny of compliance standards as part of the broader immigration control strategy.
Given this concerning trend and the government’s commitment to stricter enforcement measures, sponsors must ensure their procedures remain fully compliant with evolving requirements. HJT Training’s upcoming Sponsor Licence Masterclass on 9th July offers essential guidance on maintaining compliance in this challenging environment.
Led by Sacha Wooldridge from Birketts LLP, the session will address critical areas including the latest Home Office approach to compliance reviews, managing revocation and suspension threats, and the practical considerations surrounding self-sponsorship applications. With both the Immigration
Immigration Advisers Authority and Solicitors Regulation Authority emphasising the importance of practitioners staying current with developments, attending this Masterclass represents vital professional development for advisors managing sponsor licences in the ever changing policy climate. To book your spot, visit here
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For the full list of updates on media news, reports and Home Office Guidance and Policy updates, SEE BELOW
News
UK Home Office tells parents their children should return to Brazil alone – The Guardian
A Brazilian mother and father have been left distraught after being told by the Home Office that their young children have no right to stay in the UK and should return to Brazil alone. Guilherme Serrano, 11, and Luca Serrano, eight, have spent most of their lives living in the UK with their mother, Ana Luiza Cabral Gouveia, a senior NHS nurse, and father Dr Hugo Barbosa, a senior lecturer in computer science at the University of Exeter.
For full report, click here
Tighter immigration rules could hit UK net zero mission, report warns – The Guardian
Tough rules announced in the government’s immigration white paper could jeopardise the UK’s net zero mission by causing labour shortages, a report has warned. Labour’s white paper released last month included plans to raise the minimum qualification for skilled worker visas from A-level equivalent to degree and to maintain the higher salary threshold of £38,700 introduced by the outgoing Conservative government last year.
For full report, click here
UK will look into more ‘transactional’ approach to granting visas, says Starmer – The Guardian
The UK will look into penalising countries that refuse to take back people who are refused asylum by making visa applications for their nationals harder, Keir Starmer has said at the G7 summit in Canada. The UK currently has returns deals with 11 nations including Albania, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Iraq, Nigeria and Bangladesh, meaning people refused asylum can be swiftly sent back. This process is seen as a notable disincentive, with the number of Albanian nationals seeking asylum in the UK having dropped sharply.
For full report, click here
Windrush scandal victims got less compensation due to lack of legal advice funding, review finds – The Guardian
Survivors of the Home Office Windrush scandal have received significantly less compensation than they may be entitled to, due to the lack of government funding for legal advice during the application process, a study has found. A review of 17 applications to the compensation fund revealed that claimants who challenged their awards after taking legal advice received huge increases in the amount offered.
For full report, click here
First Windrush commissioner announced – BBC News UK
The first Windrush commissioner has been announced by the government – seven years after the scandal was first exposed and following the serious impact on thousands of Caribbean migrants in the UK.
The Reverend Clive Foster, a senior pastor who works at the Pilgrim Church in Nottingham, will take up the newly created role on a three-year term.
For full report, click here
Is the government meeting its pledges on illegal immigration and asylum? BBC News UK
The Prime Minister has made tackling illegal immigration and “restoring order” to the asylum system a priority for the government. Sir Keir Starmer has promised to “smash the gangs”. It follows predecessor Rishi Sunak’s pledge to “stop the boats”.
For full report, click here
Row over Labour minister’s small boat comments – BBC News UK
A row has erupted after a senior minister said the majority of people crossing the English Channel in small boats he had seen were “children, babies and women”. Treasury minister Darren Jones and Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf clashed on the BBC’s Question Time over the age and sex of people making the journey
For full report, click here
RSM UK: Immigration policy must not be a roadblock to digital skills – The Home UK Tech
Immigration policy must not “act as a roadblock” to accessing vital digital skills as the UK heads towards its modern Industrial Strategy plan, according to Ben Bilsland, head of the technology industry at professional service group RSM UK. While government efforts to support the tech sector are promising, including funding boosts for DSIT’s AI Opportunities Action Plan and its 7.5 million worker upskilling pledge, the UK’s route to upcoming new Industrial Strategy is still plagued with challenges.
For full report, click here
8 new rules that will make studying, working and living in the UK tougher for immigrants – Financial Express
Here are eight big proposals by the UK government that will impact international students and foreign workers and bring down the net migration rate. The UK government released a policy document on May 12, 2025, titled ‘Restoring control over the immigration system,’ proposing measures to curb immigration. Once implemented, the new UK immigration rules will make it harder for the immigrant population to move to and settle in the UK.
For full report, click here
Home Office Guidance and Documents Policy Updates
Guidance: Register of licensed sponsors: workers has been updated on 18th June 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Register of licensed sponsors: students has been updated on 18th June 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Promotional material: How to update and add a new identity document to your UKVI account: video has been updated on 18th June 2025. To view the updated Promotional material, click here
Guidance: Bangladesh: country policy and information notes has been updated on 17th June 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Facilitated return scheme: caseworker has been updated on 17th June 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Visit the UK to do research for full step, click here
Visit the UK for medical treatment for full steps, click here
Guidance: Powers and operational procedure: caseworker has been updated on 17th June 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Visit the UK for a holiday or to see family or friends for full steps, click here
Visit the UK on a business trip for full steps, click here
Guidance: Offender management: caseworker has been updated on 17th June 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Egypt: country policy and information notes has been updated on 16th June 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: India Young Professionals Scheme visa: ballot system has been updated on 15th June 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Global Talent visa: Tech Nation has been updated on 13th June 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.