Home Office Commence Crackdown on Sponsors

The Home Office are set to escalate enforcement action – sponsors should expect a sharp rise in compliance visits and licence revocations.

A spike in the proportion of unsuccessful sponsor licence applications indicates that the Home Office are viewing these applications with more cynicism than ever.

The Home Office have taken steps to improve the availability of the post-licence priority service, which should make it easier for sponsors to make expedite requests in respect of their licence.

The Home Office have added Colombia to the visa national list, meaning that Colombian nationals will now need to apply for a visa before travelling to the UK as a visitor.

The Home Office have admitted that fees charged for visa-related English language tests and qualification assessments have no legal basis.

The Home Office have confirmed the limited rollout of the Sponsor UK system, which, it is hoped, will ultimately replace the current Sponsor Management System entirely.

The Home Office have launched a new online form for reporting errors on eVisas.

The Home Secretary has commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to carry out a review of those UK sectors which are reliant on overseas workers, with a focus on the IT and engineering sectors.

British visitors to the EU will soon need to pay a visa waiver fee before travelling.

Everyone who proves their immigration status in the UK using a physical document is required to switch to an electronic visa by the end of this year.