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.

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.