Immigration Insights

With Andy Burnham expected to become the next Prime Minister later this month, it raises questions about the future direction of UK immigration policy. With the government facing pressure from business groups demanding labour market flexibility while simultaneously confronting the threat posed by Reform UK, immigration could become one of the defining tests of a Burnham premiership. Andy Burnham The key question is whether Burnham will soften some of Labour’s planned restrict

A forthcoming Burnham administration will have to confront the tension between demonstrating migration control and businesses’ need for skilled workers to foster economic growth. The next government will also have to examine Labour's earned settlement proposals, which would extend the standard settlement period for migrants from 5 to 10 years and introduce a new framework assessing their economic and societal contributions. Commenting to Solicitors Journal and Employer News,

With official figures showing UK redundancies are rising, our immigration partner, Alex Finch, writing for Employer News, looks at how losing your job creates serious consequences for workers on sponsored visas. For Skilled Worker visa holders, dismissal affects not only employment but also immigration status, family stability and long-term settlement plans. Employers must notify the Home Office within 10 working days after employment ends, triggering a visa cancellation pro

Recent falling net migration figures show that the Government's tough stance on immigration policy is having its intended effect. However at what cost to the economy? Our partner, Alex Finch, writing in Law News, argues that the Government has failed to make a confident public case for legal migration as a driver of growth, productivity, and competitiveness. He believes that skilled migrants are a major fiscal asset to Britain, and puts the case for reframing the immigration

The dust is still settling from the recent local elections, which once again underlined the fragmentation of the UK’s two-party system. Yet when one looks at the stated policy positions of the main political parties, the immigration conversation remains firmly centred on asylum, border security and the European Convention on Human Rights. This is understandable; they are difficult and important questions that resonate on the doorstep. But the Government is making a strategic

For many migrants in the UK, obtaining Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) feels like the finish line. After years of visa applications, rising fees, paperwork, and uncertainty, settlement finally provides stability and the right to live and work in the UK without restriction. But stopping at ILR may leave people more exposed than they realise. In the latest episode of our podcast, Constantine Law partners Alex Finch and Rebecca Tester explore one increasingly important question

British industry is already feeling the strain of Labour’s restrictive immigration curbs, and a move to zero net migration could exacerbate this. The Home Office continues its determination to reduce migration as last week’s Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules made clear, with tightened salary rules for sponsored workers and the first ever nationality-specific ban on student visa applications. Although the Home Office states this will be a temporary measure, does t

On 5 March the Home Office laid a Statement of Changes to the UK Immigration Rules. Here are the key points to know from a business immigration perspective. The English language requirement will be increased for applications for settlement (ILR) submitted from 26 March 2027 in certain categories. The current English language requirement for settlement is Level B1 (intermediate) from the Common European Framework of Reference, in speaking and listening. The new requirement