Latest insights

On 1 October 2026, the Home Office issued the finalised Employer's guide to right to work checks, replacing the 11 September 2026 draft....

The Home Office has confirmed that from 6 October 2026, eGate-eligible passengers will be able to use new contactless technology when...

Level 2 users will lose access to the Sponsorship Management System (SMS) from 8 March 2027. Sponsors should review arrangements for...

The Premier League is the most watched football league in the world, attracting the best talent not just on the pitch, but in the dugout...

The House of Commons Home Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry into work-based immigration, looking at how migration links to skills...

Does a business restructure or TUPE transfer have any immigration or employment permit implications? The answer is yes: where a restructure involves a TUPE transfer, liability for employing foreign nationals without valid immigration permission will transfer to the new employer, and both parties will need to address their post-transfer notification obligations under the Employment Permits Act 2024.

On 3 September 2026 the Home Office published its Autumn Immigration Rules update. Key changes include new protections for Skilled Worker...

With only six months to go before the increased standard becomes a requirement from 26 March 2027, intending applicants should review...

From 1 October 2026, the UK's illegal working regime is getting a major overhaul. The new rules are complex, and they bring about significant changes to who needs to conduct ‘right to work’ checks and when. But beyond the immigration and employment headlines, these rules will have a major impact on commercial contracts – particularly where services are being subcontracted through supply chains, and for intermediary platforms that match workers with clients.

The Home Office released an updated draft Employer's guide to right to work checks on 11 September 2026. This indicates engagement with...

From 1 October 2026, the right to work scheme will extend beyond traditional employment relationships, bringing more people within scope of right to work checks. This means that sports clubs may, in some cases, have compliance responsibilities even where they are unaware that a particular individual is carrying out work for them. Read on to learn more.

On 15 September 2026, the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood MP, appeared before the Home Affairs Committee to give oral evidence on the...

It may come to light that an employee who once had the right to work in Ireland may no longer have such permission. For example, they may have forgotten to apply for a renewal of their immigration permission before it expired or they may not be able to provide evidence of their immigration status during a repeat right to work check. These scenarios may produce a heart-in-mouth moment for a manager or HR.

More than 100 new organisations can now support researchers under the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) endorsement, and a new design...

The government’s new plan to simplify how stakeholders are consulted has sound principles but raises serious concerns. Here’s our view.

To maintain a statutory excuse against liability for an illegal working civil penalty in the context of a less straightforward follow-up...

From 1 October 2026, the UK's illegal working regime is undergoing a huge change. The new rules are complex and bring significant changes to who must carry out right to work checks and when. For businesses operating in the creative industries, the impact could be particularly far-reaching. Read on to learn more.

HMRC has published new compliance guidelines for employers with business visitors to the UK. The tone is constructive, but the detail is a wake-up call for any employers still winging their way through compliance.

Obtaining an allocation of Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is becoming increasingly challenging. Sponsors can face extensive scrutiny from the Home Office, who’re frequently responding to requests by asking for detailed additional information and documentation. In this article we provide useful tips on how to prepare a robust CoS allocation request, minimising the risk of delay.

In this podcast, Rose speaks to Paul Bennett on the PerchPeek podcast about UK immigration compliance risks for businesses, preparing for a Home Office audit, what changing right-to-work requirements mean for employers and about effective collaboration between HR, Legal and business leaders.

The Home Office has confirmed that Multi‑Factor Authentication (MFA) will be introduced for all Sponsorship Management System (SMS) users...

UK businesses routinely pay immigration fees on behalf of their workers, but the tax treatment of these costs is often misunderstood. While some costs are not taxable benefits in kind, others can be. With HMRC increasing its scrutiny and data-sharing with the Home Office expanding, now is the time for sponsors to review their arrangements.

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has published its second stage report on the Temporary Shortage List (TSL), recommending 28...

The expanded illegal working regime brings new categories of working arrangements into scope for right to work checks and introduces extended liability provisions. If you are responsible for right to work compliance at your business, you may need to put resources in place over the summer to be able to operationalise expanded checking processes.

The Home Office has published a draft updated Employer's guide to right to work checks, due to come into force on 1 October 2026. This is...

The Home Office has launched a new nationality priority service this month, which introduces an option to pay for a faster decision on...

The Government has recently announced a new package of measures aimed at helping high-growth businesses start, scale and remain in the...

Sponsors seeking to increase their allocation of undefined Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) from the Home Office can face significant...

A draft revised Code of practice on preventing illegal working has been published and is due to come into effect from 1 October 2026. It reflects new legislation that significantly increases the risk of businesses receiving an illegal working civil penalty of up to £60,000 per worker, particularly for organisations using complex labour supply chains, subcontractors and agency arrangements. Online job matching platforms are also affected. Organisations should begin planning and making operational changes now to ensure compliance by the go-live date.

The House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee has delivered a sharp rebuke to the Government’s proposed earned settlement reforms. The Committee opposes extending the baseline qualifying period for settlement to 10 years (or longer for certain groups), warns that retrospective application of any changes would be ‘manifestly unfair’ and potentially unlawful, and calls for an evidence-based approach underpinned by improved migration data and a clear integration strategy for England. The Government is required to respond within two months, although whether this deadline can be met remains uncertain. 

International workforce management has always required employers to navigate legal complexity across borders. Employment law, immigration, global mobility, workplace privacy, consultation, pay transparency and crisis response all remain critical parts of the international employer agenda.

The Home Office has recently warned sponsor licence holders to be on alert for threats to Sponsorship Management System (SMS) account...

The FA has released the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) Criteria for the 2026/27 season, which takes effect when the summer transfer...

A UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account allows you to manage your immigration status digitally and access your eVisa. This process...

A new state-backed fund promises capital, supercomputing power, and fast-tracked visas for AI start-ups. Here is what leaders need to know.

In recent months the Home Office has been taking much swifter action to curtail immigration permission following the end of a sponsored...

The UK's illegal working regime is due to expand from 1 October 2026 to include non-employee workers, self-employed contractors and...

A recent report by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) provides new insights into the factors that determine whether migrants on the...

In addition to reversing the expanded right to work checking obligation for sponsors, changes to the sponsor guidance emphasise that...

In a welcome update to the sponsor guidance made on 20 May 2026, the Home Office has undone its April 2026 change, which mandated that...

UK businesses using international talent should be aware that an ETA or immigration permission may be refused or could be cancelled after...

The Home Office has simplified the process for automatically granting settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). However, the...

The Department for Education (DfE) is reviewing the content of its English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program and the...

The Home Office's April changes to the Skilled Worker sponsor guidance confirm that the stakes are now higher for sponsors regarding...

A new consultation document published by the Home Office indicates an intention to roll out expanded right to work check processes from 1...

The Home Office has published updated sponsor guidance which expands the scope of right to work checks expected of work route sponsors...

A recent report by the Home Affairs Committee urges the Government to fully consider the potential impact of its proposed earned settlement model and warns that it is more important to get any changes right than to implement them quickly. In this article, we summarise the report’s key conclusions and recommendations.

This Q&A pulls together questions asked at our recent webinar, which provided a general update on recent and upcoming UK immigration law changes.

If you are a business inviting visitors to the UK or an individual visiting (or transiting landside through) the UK, you may be affected by the UK’s expanded electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme for non-visa nationals.

Since 25 February 2026, additional checks are in place to confirm your UK immigration status when travelling to or from the UK. Always...

The Home Office has issued a communication to sponsors' Key Contacts and Authorising Officers, warning of ongoing phishing scams and...

The UK government has reassessed which travel documents it will accept for entry following the full enforcement of the Electronic Travel...

The government is currently consulting on proposals to introduce a national digital ID scheme, with responses being accepted until 5 May...

The Home Office has published its latest round of immigration, nationality and passport fee increases, taking effect from 8 April 2026....

Although the Home Office’s earned settlement model has been deferred to a future Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, there are still important developments employers need to be aware of. These include new payment-related requirements for Skilled Workers, and a higher English language requirement for settlement applicants from 26 March 2027.

The Home Office has published a significant update to the sponsor guidance tightening overall compliance expectations, introducing a new eligible role test, and new worker welfare obligations. Organisations will need to adapt quickly to these changes to avoid compliance action – a mini audit checklist in this article can help you get started now.

The Spring Immigration Rules statement includes a revision to payment requirements for Skilled Workers and liberalised work rights for...

As travel chaos and escalating tensions across the Middle East leave thousands stranded, UK employers are grappling with urgent questions about relocation, safety and support. Here's what you need to know.

After the Home Office implements its earned settlement model, the next step is to put in place an aligned earned citizenship system. Some...

The Home Office is increasingly contacting sponsors querying whether sponsored workers are being paid in line with their Certificate of...

The Home Office has recently reminded EUSS participants to maintain the personal details on Home Office systems and has highlighted some important changes to the process for obtaining settled status. Separately, since the Government’s upcoming earned citizenship plans may make it significantly more difficult for EUSS participants to qualify, we would recommend applying for settled status and citizenship as soon as possible.

The government is considering changes to settlement eligibility that would dramatically change both the qualification criteria and how long it takes. As Skilled Worker sponsors think about how to respond to these changes, we look at the potential employment law risks in the short and longer term.

If you are a British or Irish citizen and you also hold citizenship of another country, you'll need to ensure you travel on a UK or Irish...

From 25 February 2026, the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme will go fully live for eligible citizens from 85 countries. The initial implementation period will have ended, and a strict ‘no permission, no travel’ policy will be enforced. In this article we discuss what this will mean in practice for affected travellers and businesses.

The UK Government’s earned settlement proposals may radically alter the timelines and conditions for becoming permanently resident in the UK. In this series, we explain the proposals in detail and help you anticipate how they may affect your business and your staff.

Immigration will be a board-level issue for UK businesses in 2026. An expanded illegal working regime will most likely affect every UK business, as will new rules on earned settlement. There will also be further tightening across key immigration routes, including sponsored work routes and business visitors. On top of that, the Home Office plans further enforcement measures for sponsors.

In a recent announcement, Ireland’s media regulator Coimisiún na Meán announced a programme of new all-island and cross border media projects and initiatives worth €14 million under a Shared Island Media Fund. The programme encourages cross-border collaboration projects across film, TV, radio, and journalism with a view to showcasing the island’s vast media talent and diverse heritage. The funding was provided by the Department of the Taoiseach under the government’s Shared Island initiative which aims to harness the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement.

The Government’s proposed earned settlement model includes new baseline qualifying periods and a range of attributes that may increase or reduce the baseline. In this article we examine the attributes in detail and conclude that substantial further policy development is required beyond the limits of the consultation.

The Government’s proposed earned settlement model includes a range of minimum mandatory requirements. These include stricter suitability checks, higher English language standards, and income thresholds. In this article we highlight the potential impact of these requirements on applicants and the need for further clarity on exemptions and transitional arrangements.

The Government plans to replace the current arrangements for settlement in the UK with an earned settlement model. Proposals include new mandatory minimum criteria and a general 10-year baseline qualifying period. A 15-year baseline qualifying period has been proposed for those sponsored in roles skilled below degree level. The baseline can reduce with positive contributionsto the UK or increase if negative factors apply. Sponsors need to be aware of how the proposed system works and understand how they and their sponsored workers may be impacted.

At the end of each year, we look ahead and ask: what will shape the tech landscape in the year to come?  2026 promises to be anything but predictable. From Agentic AI to regulators tightening their grip on digital platforms, the pace of change is accelerating.  So, what should tech leaders, boardrooms and in-house counsel be watching as we step into 2026? Here are our top tech predictions.

The Government proposes to introduce a new ‘earned settlement’ model without any transitional arrangements. In this article we outline the potential impacts on businesses and individuals. We also comment on the legal context for transitional arrangements and provide some guidance on how to express views in the consultation and more broadly.  

Every December, immigration authorities around the world prepare for their most magical annual visitor: Santa Claus, the only individual globally recognised as holding universal visa-free travel status. While ordinary travelers make pre-entry applications and queue at passport control, Santa simply glides past with a wink – his sleigh having been pre-cleared by international aviation, customs, immigration, and festive‑spirit authorities.

How can you reconcile immigration rules with the obligation not to discriminate on the grounds of race? Join Abi Frederick and Li Xiang as they explain, in Japanese, the tricky issue of the relationship between immigration and employment law.

Physical documents used in manual right to work checks are now the most exploitable by imposters, due to online and digital checks being comparatively more secure. In this article we highlight some of the weakest document combinations, help you understand the risks if you fail to exercise sufficient caution, and provide some practical tips. 

New legislation was passed on 2 December 2025 that brings the UK government's planned expansion of the existing illegal working regime...

The British Nationals (Overseas) route is a UK settlement route recognising the UK’s historic ties to Hong Kong. Although the government has promised to provide participants with a 5-year reduction to their proposed new 10-year baseline qualifying period for settlement, other mandatory aspects of the proposals could potentially mean a delay in settlement or outright ineligibility for some. We explain the potential impacts of the proposals on holders of this visa and offers suggestions for engaging with the government on its proposals.

If you are eligible for an Electronic Travel Authorsation (ETA), you must ensure you hold one before travelling to the UK for visits and...

The government’s proposals to reform UK settlement eligibility have now been published in a new consultation document. These will profoundly impact individuals and businesses, so responding to the consultation will be important, as will analysing the potential impacts on a case-by-case basis. This may include making settlement and citizenship applications as soon as possible where eligible. For those who are not yet eligible for settlement, it may require a detailed review of financial and personal arrangements.

Ensuring that only individuals with the right to work in the UK undertake activities for, or at, your business is a central pillar of UK...

The Home Office has recently issued a communication to sponsors' Key Contacts and Authorising Officers, warning of phishing scams that...

The Government plans to extend the right to work scheme to non-employee workers, self-employed contractors and online job matching...

Ahead of the Government's planned consultation on earned settlement, the Home Affairs Committee has launched a separate inquiry to...

From 21 October 2025 the Home Office has increased pre-licence and post-licence priority service fees for eligible work route sponsors....

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has opened its call for evidence on the TSL, inviting contributions from employers and stakeholders. In this FAQ, we signpost you to the detail on how to make an impactful contribution.

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has made various recommendations on how the TSL should be improved and identifies a shortlist of 82 medium-skilled occupations for further consideration. Employers and other stakeholders are now invited to contribute evidence on any shortlisted occupation they believe to be in shortage.

Draft regulations confirm the planned date of the rise, as well as adding three new occupations to the list of occupations exempt from...

On 14 October 2025 the Home Office published its Autumn Immigration Rules updates. Amongst other things, this includes a range of promised White Paper proposals and imposes an immediate visa requirement on citizens of Botswana.

We consider here the circumstances where excessive absences can potentially be disregarded when applying for settlement following five years’ continuous residence in the UK in qualifying visa categories.

As part of its White Paper proposals, the UK Government plans to make the pathway for naturalisation more difficult for some people. This will be through introducing an ‘earned citizenship’ points-based test. If you may be affected by this change, you should take the opportunity now to review whether and when to apply.

As part of this year's Labour Party Conference, the UK Home Secretary has outlined some of the potential criteria to be included in a...

This article considers the rights of British citizens to access the Schengen Area as visitors for leisure, business and work purposes. It highlights some of the compliance and planning issues employers and individuals should be aware of. 

In this podcast, Supinder speaks to Paul Bennett on the PerchPeek podcast about recent UK immigration updates.

If you are a British traveller planning to visit or transit through the Schengen area, you may soon be affected by upcoming European immigration requirements, including the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). This article explains the timing and impact of the EES for travellers, businesses and UK transport terminals, as well as providing an update on ETIAS.

The Home Office has confirmed that sponsor licence revocations have more than doubled in the first 12 months since the current government took office. The number of illegal working civil penalties has also climbed.

With London Fashion Week rapidly approaching, a record number of industry executives, brand representatives, designers and models are...

The General Employment Permit enables employers in Ireland to recruit workers from outside the EEA, Switzerland, and the UK for a wide range of roles where skills shortages exist. 

The Critical Skills Employment Permit is designed to attract highly skilled workers from outside the EEA, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) to fill roles in sectors where there is a shortage of qualified individuals, supporting Ireland’s economic growth. 

This year there has been a marked increase in demand for Irish passports from US applicants, supplementing the surge in applications from UK applicants following Brexit. This has been driven by shifting political landscapes, a connection to the island of Ireland and global mobility opportunities -  the Irish passport is consistently ranked one of the best in the world allowing free movement within the UK and EU but also visa free travel to countries throughout the world.