MPs began the second reading of the government’s long-trailed Immigration and Asylum Bill on Monday afternoon, setting the stage for the most sweeping rewrite of UK migration rules since the post-Brexit system was introduced in 2021. The 287-page bill, tabled on 30 June, bundles together measures on asylum processing, points-based work routes, biometric border management and enforcement powers. Key proposals include replacing automatic family-reunion rights with a merits-based test; extending the minimum period before most migrants can qualify for settlement from five to ten years; and granting ministers a new ‘visa brake’ to suspend entry from countries that refuse to accept deportations. The legislation would also put the UK’s fully digital eVisa regime on a statutory footing ahead of the abolition of physical BRP cards next year. During the opening debate Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood argued the package would create “a fair but firm system that rewards contribution and deters abuse”, while opposition MPs warned of adverse impacts on labour shortages and family life. Business groups are lobbying for clearer exemptions for intra-company transferees and short-term project staff, fearing that tougher salary and English-language thresholds could harm competitiveness. The bill now proceeds to detailed committee scrutiny where hundreds of amendments are expected, not least on employer sponsorship duties, the Seasonal Worker cap for 2027, and safeguards for digital immigration status. Employers should follow the process closely; precedent suggests that changes agreed at committee can become law within weeks, leaving little time to adapt recruitment plans. If passed largely intact, HR and mobility teams will face a hectic compliance year: new salary tables and occupation codes could take effect as early as October, while a pilot of remote civil-penalty inspections is slated for January 2027. Companies are advised to audit sponsor-licence processes now and budget for additional legal advice once the final text emerges.
Source: UK Parliament – What's On
