The Home Office has published a 64-page guidance note explaining how immigration advisers and the firms that employ them must register with the newly created Immigration Advice Authority (IAA). From 1 October 2026, any organisation—even charities offering occasional pro-bono help—must be on the IAA register if it gives advice on visas, electronic travel authorisations (ETAs), asylum, nationality or removal. The document spells out competence standards, training requirements and a three-tier accreditation structure that mirrors the complexity of cases handled. Key changes include mandatory annual CPD in every area of immigration law the adviser covers; a “fit and proper person” test that bars individuals with recent misconduct findings; and a whistle-blowing duty to report unregulated advice. Firms must submit compliance audits every two years and maintain indemnity insurance of at least £250,000. Solicitors already regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority gain automatic ‘deemed registration’ but must notify the IAA of immigration caseload volumes. For corporates the biggest impact is on outsourced mobility providers. Relocation companies that prepare Skilled Worker or Global Business Mobility applications will have to upskill staff or partner with an IAA-registered law firm. Failure to do so could invalidate visa applications and expose employers to civil penalty liability. The guidance also confirms that informal “buddy support” inside multinationals—such as HR staff helping colleagues fill in online forms—will be exempt provided the adviser does not represent the individual to the Home Office. The IAA says it will open its online portal for provisional registration on 15 August, giving businesses six weeks to secure interim approval. The authority will publish a public register, enabling migrants and employers to check advisers’ status in real time. Unregistered advice will become a criminal offence punishable by unlimited fines and up to two years’ imprisonment from January 2027.
Source: Home Office (UK)
