UK worker shortage: Home Office to announce five-year work visas for ‘skilled’ refugees July 18, 2021 Priti Patel is set to announce a new five-year visa for refugees fleeing war, reserved for those who can show proof they have the skills to fill jobs in the UK that are suffering a shortage of workers. The home secretary will next week reveal a new displaced talent mobility scheme, offering refuge to highly [...]
Proposed designs for Waterloo Windrush monument revealed July 14, 2021 Four artists today unveiled their proposed designs for the national Windrush monument that will be permanently installed in London’s Waterloo Station. Artists Basil Watson, Jeannette Ehlers, Thomas J Price and Valda Jackson revealed their designs in videos where they discussed their approach. Watson is a sculptor and painter who has designed public sculptures and monuments [...]
UN refugee agency raises ‘deep concern’ over UK asylum system overhaul July 8, 2021 The UN’s refugee agency today voiced “deep concern” around new UK asylum changes, labelling the reforms as an “almost neo-colonial approach”. Gillian Triggs, assistant high commissioner for protection at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told a Chatham House briefing the changes “shift burden” rather than “share responsibilities” on supporting refugees. Sweeping reforms [...]
Priti Patel targets countries deemed uncooperative on asylum seekers July 6, 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel could soon be able to block visas for citizens from countries thought to be uncooperative in taking back asylum seekers. The power is included in a clause in the proposed Nationality and Borders Bill published today. It would grant home secretary Patel, and all future post holders, the ability to suspend [...]
UK population grows at slowest rate in two decades due to Covid-19 June 25, 2021 The UK population reached 67.1m in the twelve months to June 2020, the lowest annual increase since 2001. New estimates from the Office for National Statistics suggested that the population grew by 284,000 people in the twelve months to June 2020 – at a rate of 0.4 per cent. Although the UK population continued to [...]
EU citizens told to apply to post-Brexit scheme within 28 days to stay in UK June 23, 2021 EU citizens who have not already applied to the EU Settlement Scheme will be given a 28-day period to apply to remain. While the scheme closes in a week, the Home Office has said it will allow EU citizens indefinite time to complete their application if they have a reasonable excuse. The government was previously [...]
Exclusive: Home Office reverses decision to end digital right to work checks on Monday June 18, 2021 The Home Office told City A.M. this morning it has decided not to end digital right to work checks this coming Monday, as initially planned. Instead, the checks that are needed to determine someone’s immigration status and right to work in the UK are allowed to be conducted online throughout the summer. “We are extending [...]
Brexit: ‘Undocumented’ EU citizens may face deportation as settlement deadline nears June 16, 2021 EU citizens may face removal from UK as Settlement Scheme deadline approaches
Arch-Brexiter Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin pushes for work visa for EU pint pullers June 2, 2021 Brexit-backing Wetherspoon pubs boss Tim Martin has added his name to the list of those wanting to relax work visa rules for EU migrants. Martin, who toured the country’s Wetherspoons pubs espousing the benefits of a hard Brexit, says that the UK should make it easier for lower-skilled EU workers to relocate here. His comments [...]
Some post-Brexit EU jobseekers end up in detention upon arrival May 13, 2021 A small number of jobseekers arriving into the UK have been sent to immigration removal centres, held in airport detention rooms or expelled. Among them are EU citizens with job interviews in the UK, The Guardian reports. When it comes to EU citizens looking for work in the UK, some rules since Brexit are straightforward [...]