Changes to the UK Immigration Rules

November 27, 2012


Last week the UK Border Agency announced a new raft changes to the Immigration Rules which will take effect from the 13th December 2012.

These include “non substantive” changes for Tier 2 sponsors and non-EEA nationals who enter the UK under the following routes of the points-based system:

  • Tier 1 – entrepreneurs and investors.
  • Tier 2 – skilled workers, including changes for senior intra-company transfers.
  • Tier 4 – students, including extending the interim limit.
  • Tier 5 – temporary workers including the requirements for the government authorised exchange category and private servants in a diplomatic household.
  • Sponsorship – revised sponsorship guidance will be published in December.

We have explored some of the key Tier 2 changes in our blog and will continue to provide further analysis on the other PBS categories that will be affected.

There are also changes to other areas of UK immigration as follows:

Criminality

  • Establishing a more robust and clear criminality framework to assess immigration applications against which immigration applications will be assessed.
  • Recalculating the length of time, based on the length of sentence, before UKBA will revoke a deportation order.
  • Introduction of a re-entry ban, for some foreign national offenders who have been removed from the UK as part of a conditional caution and additional powers to end (curtail) a migrant’s visa or leave.
  •   Creation of a ‘route’ for ex-Armed Forces to remain in the UK.

Settlement

  • Amendments to clarify the absences from the UK that are allowed during the continuous residence period for Tier 1 (General), Tier 2 and pre-points based system work routes (for example work permits, self-employment and business person).

Family and private life

  • Minor changes to the child and parent routes to make them as clear and comprehensive as possible.
  • There will also be some changes to the Youth Mobility Scheme quotas and Tier 4 loan letters in early 2013.

The full Statement of Changes can be viewed here on the UKBA website.

If you have any questions regarding the above then please do not hesitate to contact us.