News & Views
Immigration Health Surcharge to increase from 16 January 2024
From 16th January 2024, the Immigration Health Surcharge will increase from £624 to £1,035 per year for most adult applicants, and from £470 to £776 per year for children and some other applicants. Health & Care Worker visa applicants will continue to be exempt.
Spotlight on the Care Sector – How to sponsor migrant carers and care workers (July 2023 Update)
2022 saw over 2,000 UK care providers granted a Sponsor Licence and over 40,000 applications for care worker visas.
With at least 165,000 vacancies in the social care sector, sponsoring experienced overseas carers to work in the UK is a vital lifeline for many providers.
Spotlight on Hospitality – How to sponsor a Skilled Worker (June 2023 update)
In 2023, the UK Hospitality sector is continuing to experience an acute skills shortage. 2022 saw over 5,500 Skilled worker visa applications for hospitality jobs. In this article we consider how hospitality businesses can sponsor non-UK workers to fill their vacant roles.
How long does it take to get a Sponsor Licence? (April 2023 update)
In April 2023, the average processing time for a Sponsor Licence application is just over 8 weeks. Despite a record number of applications, UKVI is getting faster due to increased caseworking capacity. Now’s a great time to apply for a Sponsor Licence, but it’s still important to get it right first time!
Care Worker roles to be added to the Shortage Occupation List and eligible for Skilled Worker visas from 15 February 2022
From 15 February 2022, for a period of 12 months, UK care providers will now be able to sponsor work visas for all care worker roles. It has previously only been possible to sponsor senior care workers, so this is a significant and positive change for many UK care homes and domiciliary care agencies struggling to recruit from the domestic workforce.
Youth Mobility Scheme to open to citizens of India and Iceland from January 2022
From 2022, citizens of India and Iceland will be eligible for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa for the UK. This working holidaymaker visa allows 18-30 year olds to live and work in the UK for two years. There will be a strict limit on numbers – only 1,000 visas per year for Icelandic citizens and 3,000 visas per year for Indian citizens who also need to meet an additional qualification or experience requirement.
How To: I think we’ve got a Sponsor Licence, but we haven’t used it in years and I can’t find the login details….
Before you can sponsor a migrant worker, you need to make sure you’ve got an up to date Sponsor Licence. In this article we answer 5 simple questions to determine whether you’re ready to go ahead with a skilled worker application
Changes to the Shortage Occupation List
A number of health, science and teaching roles have been added to the Shortage Occupation List and Chefs have been removed. Particularly good news for employers of lab technicians and senior care workers
New immigration route for UK Graduates from July 2021 – further details announced
From July 2021, UK graduates will be able to get a 2 year visa (3 years for PhD graduates) allowing them to work freely in the UK. This will be welcome news for students who no longer need to find an employer willing to sponsor them before they graduate