UK Parliament Opens Call for Evidence on Landmark Immigration and Asylum Bill

The House of Commons has today (15 July 2026) invited written submissions on the government’s wide-ranging Immigration and Asylum Bill, giving businesses, charities and the wider public until early September to comment on proposals that will reset the UK’s approach to legal migration, asylum processing and modern-slavery claims. The Bill—introduced after a series of record migration figures—would create an “earned settlement” route requiring most work-visa holders to meet tougher salary and English-language thresholds before qualifying for indefinite leave to remain. It also seeks to accelerate removals of people with unsuccessful asylum claims, overhaul modern-slavery protections that ministers argue are being abused, and place a statutory cap on the annual number of humanitarian places the UK offers. From a corporate–mobility perspective, the draft legislation matters on several fronts. Employers relying on skilled-worker visas could see retention risks if staff fall short of the new settlement tests, while human-resources teams will need to budget for longer periods of temporary status (and repeat visa costs) before employees can settle. Faster removal timelines could also shorten notice periods for sponsoring companies when a worker’s immigration status is curtailed. Policy experts note that the public-evidence stage is the last meaningful opportunity for industry to influence the text. The Business Travel Association and the Institute of Directors are expected to lobby for transitional protection so that current Skilled-Worker holders are not disadvantaged, and for legal clarity around short-term business visits, which the Bill leaves largely untouched. Once the Public Bill Committee reports—no later than 3 November—the Bill is expected to move quickly toward Third Reading. Multinational companies should therefore begin mapping workforce scenarios now, updating mobility policies, cost projections and assignment contracts to reflect the proposed settlement rules and potential new compliance penalties.