New Immigration Rules 2013
UKBA have announced the following changes to the new immigration rules 2013 which will come into effect on 1 October 2013. UKBA state that the new rules will mean greater flexibility for businesses and workers and include:
- removing the English language requirement for intra-company transferees;
- making it easier for graduate entrepreneurs to switch into Tier 2;
- waiving share ownership restrictions for some senior staff; and
- allowing some students to undertake internships under a Tier 5 government authorised exchange scheme.
Tourist and business visitors will benefit from the following changes:
- Allowing tourists and business visitors to undertake some study where it is not the main purpose of their visit.
- Expanding the activities a business visitor can undertake in the UK specifically allowing internal audits and greater access to targeted corporate training.
- Removing the prospective student route.
Further changes include:
- expanding checks to ensure applicants for work and student visas are genuine, and that they intend to meet the conditions of leave they apply for;
- introducing powers to refuse Tier 4 in-country extensions where the applicant cannot speak English;
- introducing a scheme which allows some locally engaged staff in Afghanistan to relocate to the UK;
- setting new Youth Mobility Scheme quotas for 2014;
- enabling those who demonstrate exceptional promise in the arts to apply under Tier 1;
- changes to the way we handle settlement applications for refugees who have committed crimes, and adding the power to curtail leave for persistent or serious offenders;
- introducing temporary Immigration Rules so participants and personnel can come to the UK during the 2014 Commonwealth Games;
- minor changes and clarifications to the Immigration Rules, including those relating to family life; and
- changes to the way applicants for indefinite leave to remain are required to demonstrate their knowledge of the English language and of life in the UK.
These changes will come into effect on 28 October.
Author
Founder and Managing Director Anne Morris is a fully qualified solicitor and trusted adviser to large corporates through to SMEs, providing strategic immigration and global mobility advice to support employers with UK operations to meet their workforce needs through corporate immigration.
She is a recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers as a legal expert and delivers Board-level advice on business migration and compliance risk management as well as overseeing the firm’s development of new client propositions and delivery of cost and time efficient processing of applications.
Anne is an active public speaker, immigration commentator, and immigration policy contributor and regularly hosts training sessions for employers and HR professionals
