UK unveils ‘Earned Settlement’ framework, doubling qualifying period for permanent residence
Home Office publishes final “Earned Settlement” framework, doubling standard wait for UK permanent residence
October data show Skilled Worker demand still rising as UK publishes latest visa statistics
Latest News
Sky News: Home Secretary to unveil tightened immigration rules later today
Sky News reports that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will lay secondary legislation this afternoon giving legal effect to the new Earned Settlement system, including longer settlement periods, higher health-surcharge fees and limited concessions for key public-service roles.
Budget promises but only one rule change in force: what recruiters need to know about Skilled Worker visas
• Only one Budget measure is live: sponsor-paid ISC and CoS fees are no longer a taxable benefit for migrants, effective 28 Oct 2026. • Key salary-threshold reforms and longer curtailment periods will not take effect until a future Statement of Changes—recruiters must use current rules. • Record numbers of sponsor-licence revocations mean due-diligence checks are essential before placing candidates.
Ireland extends UK-visa waiver for Indian travellers, boosting twin-centre Christmas trips
• Ireland has extended its visa-waiver scheme allowing eligible UK short-stay visa holders (including Indians) to enter Ireland until 31 Dec 2026. • Travellers must first enter the UK on the visa; ETA holders are excluded. • The move streamlines Christmas leisure and business itineraries that combine the UK and Ireland, but conditions and 90-day stay limits still apply.
Parliamentary motion presses government to secure UK-EU Youth Experience Scheme
A new Early Day Motion calls on ministers to strike a reciprocal UK-EU Youth Experience Scheme, signalling parliamentary pressure to restore easy two-year work-and-travel visas for 18-30 year-olds. If agreed, the scheme would widen the talent pool for UK employers facing skills gaps.
MPs demand clarity on partner-visa income threshold amid wider immigration shake-up
A parliamentary written question asks when the Home Office will publish its response to the MAC’s review of the family-visa Minimum Income Requirement, signalling that further increases – or a new formula – could form part of the wider Earned Settlement reforms. Employers and relocating staff should monitor closely.
UKVI updates publicly advertised visa processing times—Skilled Worker decisions still at three weeks overseas
• UKVI has refreshed its online processing-time tables: Skilled Worker and Global Talent visas remain at three weeks overseas and eight weeks in-country. • Family visas still take 12 weeks overseas and up to 12 months inside the UK; priority upgrades cost £500–£1,000. • Mobility managers should file before end-November for January arrivals and remind applicants that timelines run to the decision notice, not passport return.
Budget 2026: Employer Payments of Immigration Skills Charge Made Tax-Free
The Autumn Budget confirms that, with effect from 28 October 2026, employer payments of the Immigration Skills Charge and Certificate-of-Sponsorship fee will be exempt from income-tax benefit-in-kind rules. The change reduces sponsorship costs and administrative burdens for UK employers.
Sponsor Register Update Shows Net Fall as 71 UK Employers Lose Licence
The 30 October sponsor-register release shows 62 new and 71 removed organisations, underscoring the Home Office’s active compliance regime. Employers must monitor their own and partners’ licence status, as revocation can leave sponsored staff with only 60 days to regularise their position.
Charities Invited to Lead New ‘Safe and Legal’ Refugee Sponsorship Routes
Applications have opened for UK charities to act as ‘lead sponsors’ in three new capped refugee routes, placing civil-society organisations at the centre of resettlement and integration. A work-route phase, due to launch in Spring 2027, could create a new pipeline of job-ready refugees for British employers.