What is the Tier 2 ‘Resident Labour Market Test’?

Employers are generally required to carry out a Resident Labour Market Test before sponsoring a non-EEA worker. The Resident Labour...

What can business people do when visiting the UK?

Often, individuals need to make a visit to the UK at the request of their employer or to conduct some of their own business in the...

Can a Tier 1 (Investor) visa applicant rely on funds held in a business?

The Tier 1 (Investor) category is for high net worth individuals making a substantial financial investment in the UK. Under the Tier 1 (Investor) requirements, in order to qualify for an initial grant of leave in this category applicants must, amongst other...

Changes to Tier 2 Immigration Rules Published

In the Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules published on 3 November 2016 the Government announced some expected, and some unexpected, changes to Tier 2 applications. The main changes are set out below. The changes generally apply to applications made...

The truth behind the £35,000 minimum salary requirement

It has been reported recently that all non-EEA migrants applying for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) need to earn a minimum salary of £35,000. But it's also been reported that some people, e.g. nurses, don't have to meet the requirement. What's the...

Government set to introduce a £1,000 Non-EU Worker Levy

The government are set to introduce a new non-EU worker levy to try and reduce the number of skilled...

The UK bank account ‘rule’ for Tier 1 Investors – what does it really mean?

Tier 1 Investor visa applicants are now required to have opened an account with a UK regulated bank before submitting their investor...

Brewster’s £200,000: Spending your Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Investment Funds

The Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) rules are very clear in stating that migrants in this category must invest all of their investment funds,...

Tier 2 (General) Applications for Shortage Occupations

If an employer wants to employ a non EEA-national who does not already have the right to work for them, they must have a Tier 2 Sponsor Licence and assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to the prospective employee. The employee will then use this CoS to...

The Tier 2 (General) CoS Limit

The Tier 2 (General) visa category is for skilled migrants coming to the UK with a job offer. To prove that they have a job offer, migrants submit a document called a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) on which their employer certifies their proposed employment...