UK Immigration News

The UK's independent chief inspector of immigration, John Vine, has issued a report in which he congratulates the UK's immigration service for having made improvements to the service it offers to applicants for UK visas such as Tier 2 skilled worker visas, Tier 4 student visas and Tier 1 'high value migrant' visas.

Dr Martin Ruhs, an advisor to the UK government on immigration, has warned the government against engaging in policies which 'have an element of spectacle'. He warned that these policies are 'not necessarily the most effective'.

Dr Ruhs is an economist based at Oxford University. He sits on the independent Migration Advisory Committee which advises the Home Office on immigration matters.

Newly released figures show that the UK's population rose by 419,900 in the year to June 2012. Of this rise, about 40% (165,000) was caused by immigration and the rest by a baby boom in the UK. But analysis of the figures shows that many of the babies in that baby boom were born to first generation mothers and so immigration is responsible for a considerable proportion of this rise too.

There were 813,200 births over the year. More than 25% of these babies had mothers born outside the UK.

Opposition politicians and immigration activists criticised the UK's Home Secretary on 8th August 2013 after she used her powers to redact or censor a report by the country's Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, John Vine.

The shadow immigration minister, Chris Bryant, asked 'what possible reason can there be for redacting elements of a report by a highly-respected independent inspector?' and concluded 'this is a cover-up to hide her own failings.

A UK official has warned Pakistani students to avoid unscrupulous immigration advisors. Mandy Ivemy, the Regional Manager for Visas and Immigration gave a press conference at the British Deputy High Commission in Karachi on 7th August 2013 during which she answered questions about applications for Tier 4 student visas.

A recent UK Home Office report states that they wish to encourage figures from the arts with an international reputation to apply to come to live in the UK under a Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa. There is a cap of 1,000 on the number of these visas which can be issued annually but in 2012, only about 50 visas were issued. The likely reason why so few visas were granted is because only a tiny minority of "top people" qualify under the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa.