
We guide clients through all stages of a project or application, tailoring to specific needs, concerns or sensitivities, and seeking to simplify the process wherever possible. Regardless of setting, our team recognises that immigration is primarily about people and that each client is unique.
International reach
We understand the international nature of our clients’ businesses, travel and family needs. A globalised economy requires a global reach of services. Through our extensive networks worldwide, we have trusted lawyers, accountants and tax advisors in all jurisdictions to be able to provide a truly global service and seamless cross-border support.
Our clients
We work with organisations of all sizes and types, from start-ups, UK expansions, SMEs, multi-national corporates and publicly listed companies.
We advise across all sectors, including:
financial services
healthcare and care homes
technology and innovation
creative and media
retail, hospitality and fashion
manufacturing
energy
We also work with individuals, families, HNWIs, entrepreneurs, and investors with planning their UK immigration journey, forming a friendly and trusted relationship and adapting to life’s rollercoasters.
Sponsor Licences and Immigration in the Workplace
We deliver bespoke scenario-driven solutions addressing business complexities and timelines. Areas of work we typically conduct for clients include:
Sponsor Licence applications and renewals
Home Office compliance and audits, training and process reviews
Suspensions and revocations of Sponsor Licences
Right to Work and prevention of illegal working legislation
Corporate transaction due diligence and strategy advice (merger, acquisition, divestiture, restructuring, TUPE transfers, joint venture)
Project planning for large recruitment intakes, cross-border transfers, internship programmes, short-term training schemes
Internal process documents and consultation on process development
UK Working Visas
All non-British or Irish nationals require some form of express permission in order to work in the UK. There are many options available and we can advise and assist with applications for the following routes:
Visitors
For short-term trips to the UK, close attention should be paid to what the individual will be doing and whether the intended activities will fit within the Visitor rules. We can advise you on:
Prohibited and permitted activities
Permitted Paid Engagements
Short-Term Student
Creative Worker
Servicing UK contracts
Specific permitted activities
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Sponsored work visas
Where an organisation is looking to sponsor a worker in the UK, there are many options to best suit your business and individual criteria. Our expertise covers the full range of sponsored visas, including:
Skilled Worker
Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker / Graduate Trainee
Expansion Worker
Scale-Up
Creative Worker
Government Authorised Exchange
Charity Worker
Religious Worker
Service Supplier
Non-Sponsored work visas
Other visas which allow work in the UK, but which are not sponsored, rely on the individual applicant’s personal circumstances in order to determine eligibility. We are experienced in discussing all options with clients to include routes such as:
Global Talent
High Potential Individual
Innovator Founder
Graduate
Youth Mobility
Ancestry
Student
Individual and Family Visas and Nationality
With a globalised economy, people move from country to country for many reasons. Our team is able to assess individual clients’ available immigration options and provide practical advice on a suitable immigration journey, from the short-term to the long-term.
Our expertise includes advice on and preparation of applications, as well as regularisation of stay in the UK, navigating complex factual backgrounds, representation with the Home Office, and assessing refused applications for future reapplication.
The categories of visa route we typically assist with includes:
Spouse, Unmarried Partner or Fiancé(e) of a British or Settled Person
Ancestry
Innovator Founder
Global Talent
Youth Mobility
Visitor
EEA Regulations and the EU Settlement Scheme
Surrogacy and Adoption
Permanent Residence and Settlement
British Nationality and Right of Abode
Passports
Key Contacts
Related Expertise
Our Team
News & Insights
In an increasingly competitive and global environment, employers are often finding it difficult to fill vacancies that may require particular skills, qualification and/or proven expertise. The Labour Government intends to change that by upskilling the domestic labour force.
In January 2025, 828 UK premises were raided by Immigration Enforcement, the highest total raids recorded in January for more than half a decade. Illegal working raids are also up by 38% since Labour came to power compared to the same period 12 months ago, all according to the Home Office’s own reports.
The Home Office is phasing out the use of hard copy documents to evidence someone’s immigration status. It intends to move to a fully digital system by 1 January 2025.
On 10 September 2024 the Home Office published its most recent ‘Statement of Changes’ to the Immigration Rules. This statement sets out timings for the remaining rollout of the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme (ETA), which will soon apply to all non-visa nationals visiting the UK.
Sign up for our Autumn Employment and Immigration Law Seminar, with Nicholas Lakeland, Victoria Brockley, Marianne Johnson, Victoria Welsh and Firuza Ahmed on Tuesday 10 September 2024.
Immigration Partner, Victoria Welsh, and Employment Partner, Nicholas Lakeland, explore the issues that can arise when businesses allow employees to work remotely overseas, in this article written for People Management.
Sign ups are now open for our upcoming Employment and Immigration seminar! Our very own Employment Partners, Nicholas Lakeland and Victoria Brockley, will delve into the latest updates in Employment Law. This will be followed by our Partner and Head of Immigration, Victoria Welsh, as she analyses the recent amendments to UK Immigration Law and the implications on UK businesses.
Join us on Thursday, 8th February 2024 for our webinar: UK Work Visas, with Laytons ETL Partner and Head of Immigration, Victoria Welsh.
The new Home Secretary, James Cleverly MP, has been busy since he was appointed to replace Suella Braverman just over five weeks ago. Amongst the Rwanda and Bibby Stockholm problems on his desk, he was also handed record net migration and an avalanche of pressure within his own party and beyond to tackle the numbers of people coming legally to the UK.
In the September Statement of Changes, the Youth Mobility visa category was expanded for Australian, Canadian, and Andorran nationals, effective from 31 January 2024, pursuant to trade agreements the UK has recently signed with those countries:
Those in the UK with Pre-Settled Status under the EU Settlement Scheme should not have to make a second application to preserve their rights to reside in the UK and will have their status automatically extended by the Home Office following a High Court ruling.
Following the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 receiving Royal Assent, the Home Office has introduced the Electronic Travel Authorisation (“ETA”) scheme which was provided for in the Act. This is a new requirement for non-visa nationals travelling to the UK, who must apply for and be granted an ETA before travelling.
The guidance on acceptable Right to Work (“RTW”) checks has been changed many times over the last few years, triggered mainly by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent drive for digitalisation across both the Home Office and businesses.
As announced in July, the increases to Government fees for immigration and nationality applications came into force on 4 October 2023. Most fees were increased by around 15% or 20%, with some more and some less, and others unaffected (for now).
As commissioned by the Government in August 2022, the Migration Advisory Committee (“MAC”) has published its long-awaited report following a major review into the Shortage Occupation List (“SOL"). It’s headline-grabbing recommendations include scrapping the SOL altogether. The reasons given are that it no longer serves the purposes for which it was originally intended.
You can now sign up for our upcoming Employment and Immigration seminar with Nicholas Lakeland, Victoria Brockley and Victoria Welsh!
Join us on Thursday, 9th November 2023 for our Sponsor Licence Workshop with Laytons ETL Partner and Head of Immigration, Victoria Welsh.
The penalties which can be levied against employers and landlords who, respectively, employ or rent property to overseas nationals who are in the UK illegally, are to be substantially increased from 2024. The Government announced on 7 August that the hike in these penalties is part of a range of measures to further deter illegal migration through “small boat crossings”.
Ahead of the summer recess, the Government pushed through several major changes to UK immigration and nationality law. From changes to the Student and EU Settlement Scheme rules, to expansion of eGate usage, via increases in Government fees, Laytons’ Immigration Partner Victoria Welsh shares a summary of July’s main immigration and nationality updates.
Solicitor advocate Victoria Welsh has joined Laytons ETL as a partner to establish a new Immigration Law practice at the City of London-based international commercial law firm.
We understand that dealing with your family affairs requires more than just sound advice and technical excellence. We invest the time to get to know our clients’ circumstances, needs and preferences to deliver commercially informed and practical results for you.