UK Immigration News

Refugee charities have warned that the UK government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme is beginning to unravel. It’s been claimed that the government is scrambling to rehouse hundreds of Ukrainian refugees granted UK visas because the people they were meant to be staying with have been dubbed unsuitable, according to a report published by The Observer.

 

A Freedom of Information (FoI) request reported on by The Guardian has revealed that at least 25 UK immigration officers are currently deployed across local authorities in Britain. Child social services are among several local authority departments where on-site immigration agents have been deployed by the Home Office.

 

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which advises the UK government on immigration matters, has urged Westminster to scrap UK immigration fees for foreign care workers. A MAC report assessing the impact of Brexit on the adult care sector, states that people on UK health and care work visas have to pay ‘significant costs’ to remain in Britain.

 

Priti Patel’s former UK border boss, Glyn Williams, has called for the Home Office to be stripped of its UK visa powers amid its farcical handling of a refugee scheme. Williams has urged the UK government to set up a new Department of Immigration that is separate from the Home Office.

 

UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has hinted at UK visa concessions for Indian nationals as he attempts to secure a trade deal with India. Johnson has signalled that he is ready to ease visa restrictions for Indians in an effort to bring forward the target date for a trade deal agreement from the end of 2022 to the autumn.

 

A leading online bank has urged the UK government to introduce skilled refugee visas to tackle skills shortages across the tech sector. Zopa Bank, which recently pledged to hire 50 professionals from Ukraine, has spoken to ministers about launching a skilled refugee visa, arguing that it will help address Britain’s technical skills shortage.