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A recent ruling by a High Court in the United Kingdom resulted in some individuals being able to come under previous visa extension rules for the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP). An advocacy group, the HSMP Forum Ltd., who filed the successful judicial review application, is now pushing to have the old permanent residence rules put back in place for those benefiting from the judgment.

As a reminder for people who entered Britain under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) scheme prior to 07 November 2006, it is now possible to extend their HSMP under the old rules. People denied an extension to their HSMP visa under rules established after the change can have the UK Border & Immigration Agency (BIA) reconsider their applications.

The United Kingdom's Border & Immigration Agency (BIA) is urging employers to apply now for a sponsorship license ahead of the introduction of Tiers 2 and 5 in November. Britain is phasing in a new five-tier, points based system to cover all employment, student, and training-based immigration into the country. Tier 2 for skilled workers and Tier 5 for temporary workers will require Certificates of Sponsorship with applications for these visas. UK employers must be licensed by the UK government to issue Certificates of Sponsorship.

The UK Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) has published statistics which shows further reductions in the number of Eastern European immigrants coming to the United Kingdom continues to decrease. The UK was one of three EU member states to allow unrestricted free movement of labor for A8 citizens in 2004.