Skilled Worker Caseworker Guidance Updated May 2026
Update to Skilled Worker Caseworker Guidance May 2026 The Home Office has updated its Skilled Worker caseworker guidance with new clarifications affecting settlement eligibility, transitional arrangements and Common Travel Area switching rules. While the changes are presented as technical amendments, they are operationally important for sponsors because they show how UKVI caseworkers are […]
Tribunal Case Highlights Sponsored Worker Pay Risks
Gharabli v Cedar Hope Care Services Mrs Gharabli worked as a support worker for Cedar Hope Care Services from February 2023 and was later promoted to senior support worker. During her employment, she discovered that overseas support workers sponsored under the Skilled Worker route were being paid £12.31 per hour, while domestic (i.e. […]
Skilled Worker Visa Pay Period: New Rules 2026
Skilled Worker pay period rule changes 2026 The 5 March 2026 Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules (HC 1691) introduces a new salary compliance rule for the Skilled Worker route. The amendment inserts paragraph SW 14.3B into Appendix Skilled Worker and takes effect on 8 April 2026. The provision changes how the […]
UKVI Expands Daily Priority Capacity for Sponsor Change Requests
UKVI Increases Daily Sponsor Change of Circumstances Priority Service Capacity UKVI has increased the daily allocation for its post-licence priority change of circumstances service. Sponsors can now access a minimum of 120 priority requests each working day, up from the previous lower threshold of 100 daily slots. Under the previous allocation, the daily […]
Sham Visa Marriages: Impact on Genuine Couples
Reports of Sham Visa Marriages Being Promoted in Social Media Groups Media reports indicate that individuals are attempting to use informal online networks, including Facebook groups, to arrange marriages for immigration purposes. In some cases, posts explicitly refer to “contract marriages” or requests for British citizens willing to marry in exchange for immigration […]
Sponsor Action Required: UKVI Urgent Information Requests
Section A: UKVI Issuing Urgent Sponsor Compliance Requests UKVI is contacting sponsor licence holders by email, under the subject ‘Sponsor Action Required’, requesting detailed payroll and employment information relating to sponsored workers. These requests require a substantive response within a short timeframe and include an explicit warning that failure to respond may result […]
Cost Savings of Proposed Earned Settlement: £600m Not £10bn
Earned Settlement Savings Lower Analysis of government data indicates that the projected fiscal savings associated with the proposed earned settlement reforms are materially lower than initially suggested. While ministers have referenced a £10 billion figure in support of extending the route to indefinite leave to remain, underlying data from the Migration Advisory Committee […]
Changes to Sponsor Right to Work Checks: March & April 2026
Right to Work Duties Expanded in Sponsor Guidance Recent updates to Home Office sponsor guidance in March and April 2026 have changed sponsor licence holders’ right to work responsibilities. While the underlying statutory framework under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 has not been amended, (as yet at least), the sponsor guidance […]
EU Settlement Scheme Automated Grants & Removals Clarified
Changes to EU Settlement Scheme Status Checks The Home Office is refining its automated processes to assess whether individuals with pre-settled status remain resident in the UK. The system now draws on tax and benefits data, alongside travel information, to identify whether there is sufficient evidence of UK-based activity. As part of this, […]
Further 24-Month Extensionfor Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme
Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme: Further 24-Month Extension Introduced The Home Office has introduced a further extension under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme, allowing eligible individuals to apply for an additional 24 months’ leave from 8 April 2026. It means that individuals can now hold permission under the scheme for up to three and […]