🇬🇧 UK Immigration News Roundup

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#1 Priority visa services are up and running, and are very popular! 

Priority and Super Priority services allow to obtain a visa decision within 5 working days or on the next working day respectively, for an additional Government fee. These are for in-UK applications. Eligible categories are visas for spouses/partners of UK citizens, workers including Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visa, Ancestral visa, Long residence 10 years and some business/investment categories. Available when you are switching from another category (Student to Spouse; Student to a Skilled Worker etc), extension in the same category and settlement / Indefinite Leave. More can be found here on the Government website.    


#2 Graduate visa started on 1 July 2021.

Great for international students, UK employers looking for graduates. And also for … unmarried partners of UK citizens who cannot (yet) prove 'living together for 2 years’. So, graduates from UK universities can now stay for 2 years in the UK upon completion a degree course. PhD graduates get 3 years. This visa gives time to look for work, for example, and gain experience that may lead to sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa (formerly Tier 2). It doesn't count or lead to settlement, though, unless for the purpose of ’10 years in the UK’. If you qualify, you can switch from a Student visa straight to a category that does lead to settlement: Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Spouse/Partner of a UK citizen. We had a detailed post on this here's.

 

#3 Health and Care Worker visa. 

This isn't a new category but we’d like to draw attention that the ‘Care Worker’ element is now available. Yes, it may sound strange, a Care Worker visa without allowing carers to apply for it, but this is what it was like until a few months ago. Only ‘Health’ workers were allowed, i.e. nurses, doctors, some scientists etc. Now, it is also available to Senior Care Workers , as well as care managers, to come to the UK (or remain here) to work for a caring establishment, such as a nursing home. As usual under this category, they need sponsorship from a UK licensed employer, i.e. the NHS, care company and so on. There are also welcome concessions on salary and lower Government fees compared to the standard rules (and points) of a Skilled Worker visa. All eligible jobs can be found here.


To discuss your situation one-to-one with an Immigration Lawyer, book an online consultation here. We offer advice over WhatsApp, Zoom, Skype, phone or email.


1st 4Immigration is one of the most experienced UK immigration law companies, OISC - accredited at the highest Level 3. We have been in business for over 10 years, our OISC reference is 200800152, in which 2008 stands for the year accreditation. Office: Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London, EC2N 1HN. 

www.1st4immigration.com 

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