This article was first published in Free Movement, 6 October 2026 R (on the application of Akinyemi) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026] EWHC 2388 (Admin) is the second reported decision on the operation of section 4L of the British Nationality Act 1981, brought into force in 2022. The claimant, who was born in the UK and has an extensive record of offending, challenged the refusal to register him as British on several grounds, but did not succeed on any of th

Join our next immigration webinar on Wednesday 14 October to hear about important changes to the employment and immigration landscape Significant changes to the right-to-work regime came into effect on 1 October. Join our next webinar, on Weds 14 October where our immigration partners Alex Finch and Rebecca Tester will discuss these changes, and their impact: The webinar will cover: ➡️ An overview of the recent changes to the right-to-work regime ➡️ Expansion of the right-to-

New technology aims to help employers and HR teams navigate increasingly complex Skilled Worker salary requirement rules PRESS RELEASE: London, 6th October 2026 – Employers struggling to work out how much they need to pay sponsored workers can now use a new free online tool from specialist employment and immigration law firm Constantine Law. The Skilled Worker Salary Assessment Tool has been designed to tackle one of the increasingly complicated parts of the UK sponsorship

A version of this article first appeared in Personnel Today on 25 September 2026. The UK government is significantly expanding the Right to Work regime from 1 October 2026 and employers are advised to review their arrangements now to ensure compliance with the new rules. The most significant change is the extension of Right to Work checks beyond traditional employees. The new regime will apply to a broader range of working arrangements. This is an important development for bu

For many UK businesses, recruiting international talent has become a vital part of growth. But sponsoring overseas workers also comes with significant legal responsibilities, and those responsibilities are coming under far greater scrutiny than ever before. The Home Office has always maintained that holding a sponsor licence is a privilege rather than a right. What has changed is the level of enforcement. Employers are seeing more compliance activity, more requests for eviden

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