The huge Pizza chain was caught employing illegal workers at their Reading and Hounslow and fined £5,000 for each incident.

Figures from the UK Border Agency (UKBA)  reveal that Pizza Hut is not alone, with 1,161 firms being fined nearly £10 million over the last 16 months as a result of recruiting a total of 2,058 illegal workers.

A spokesperson for Pizza Hut defended the firm:

“This particular incident took place almost a year ago at one of our franchised stores. We have since ensured that all our franchisees have reviewed their processes, in order to prevent this happening again.” Source: HR Review

The UKBA is an agency set up to take control migration and enforcement operations previously run by the Home Office.

The UKBA has today published details of four illegal workers being removed from the UK after being discovered working at a Chinese takeaway in Londonderry.

Phil Taylor, Regional Director for the UK Border Agency in Scotland and Northern Ireland, said: 

‘This successful operation shows that we are determined to crack down on illegal working wherever it occurs, and we’ll act on intelligence to target those businesses which ignore the rules and remove those with no right to be in the UK. The UK Border Agency is happy to work with employers so they understand the rules, but they have a responsibility to carry out the right checks before they employ migrant workers. If they don’t, they could end up potentially having to pay the kind of substantial fines this business is now facing.’

Unfortunately, the deportation of four people will have little effect on the estimated half a million illegal workers in the UK, which leading think tank, ippr, says will take 20 years to remove at a cost of £5 billion.

Related articles:

Millions wasted on deportations by private jet

UK immigrant amnesty ‘worth £3bn’ say LSE 

If you need any immigration advice or help with Studying in the UK, Settlement, Citizenship, Sponsorship, extending Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

The findings are revealed by the Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales, Dame Anne Owers.

Inspectors monitored immigration escort staff involved in removing detainees from Heathrow Airport.

It says when officers escorting immigration offenders mistreat them, removals are more likely to fail.

The report cites the case of four Afghan detainees, who were initially willing to fly home.

Then, in what the report describes as an “unnecessary and intimidating” intervention, escort staff warned the detainees they would be “dealt with” if they were “naughty” on the plane. They refused to go.

Valid documents

Removals were also cancelled due to staff shortages and because nurses had not been booked to accompany detainees with health problems.

Sometimes detainees were flown back to the UK because their home countries said their paperwork was not in order.

On one occasion, escort staff taking a woman to Mozambique were themselves locked up after the authorities there questioned whether their documents were valid.

Dame Anne said: “This short report found worrying gaps and weaknesses in complaints and monitoring processes.

“It also found varying practice, with no evidence that the good and thoughtful approach of some staff was mirrored in clear and consistent standards of treatment, support and communication.

“This heightened the risk of ill-treatment or abuse, and was also likely to lead to failed removals.”

David Wood, director of the criminality and detention group at the UK Border Agency said anyone involved in the detention and removal of detainees was highly trained.

“Many detainees refuse to leave the UK voluntarily, even when the courts say they must. In some cases individuals become violent toward themselves, the public or our staff when it is time to go home.

“Detainee escorts have a very difficult job to do in carrying out what the public expects of the UK Border Agency in enforcing our immigration laws.” 

Source BBC 

It is estimated that the cost of deporting a person is around £10,000, but this could be much higher if the case goes to a legal aid funded appeal, with the migrant being held in a detention centre for months on end.

Leading think tank, ippr, said it would it would take at least 20 years to find and remove half a million illegal immigrants at a cost of over £5 billion.

Earlier this month the Government was criticised for wasting millions of pounds flying illegal immigrants back to their country in private jets.

Have you had any experience or dealings with removal teams? Make your comment below.

Related articles:

Millions wasted on deportations by private jet

UK immigrant amnesty ‘worth £3bn’ say LSE 

If you need any immigration advice or help with Studying in the UK, Settlement, Citizenship, Sponsorship, extending Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

The UKBA said:

“We have made these changes in response to concerns that our customers have raised, and to ensure that the points-based system continues to facilitate the trade and travel that benefits the United Kingdom whilst also ensuring that the immigration system is not open to abuse.”

The changes to the system include:

• Creating an escalation route for University Vice-Chancellors and Academic Registrars through the use of a dedicated mailbox for urgent incidents requiring immediate attention, with a guaranteed response within 72 hours.
• Modified rules on students’ maintenance requirements.

Additionally, the UKBA are:

• Developing new guidance for ‘milkround’ recruitment campaigns, to provide a truer test of the resident labour market whilst meeting the needs of businesses;
• Outlining plans to develop our IT system, making it even easier for customers and sponsors to use;
• Looking at developing a new employer led route for interns to sit alongside and complement our existing Government Authorised Exchange schemes
• Making a number of changes to our guidance for points-based system sponsors.

You can download a full list of the changes to the sponsor guidance and information on the UKBA website or visit:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/news/table-of-changes-7-August

If you need any immigration advice or help with Studying in the UK, Settlement, Citizenship, Sponsorship, extending Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

I have been speaking at the MOVE Migration Expo, which attracted thousands of people hoping to migrate to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and USA.

The first MOVE Expo has been a spectacular success, according to organisers IVC (Immigrant Visa Centre). Director Crispin Aranda said that around 6000 people attended the two day programme, which had expert speakers covering a wide cross section of subjects gave informative break out sessions speeches on Migration to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, USA and the UK. 

Several speakers spoke of Tier 4 student visas and British course to enable Filipinos to up-skill themselves to increase their international marketability. 

Others speakers included; Zenalyn Ablao from AG Finance, Rusty Francisco, of NC-LEX. 

The packed crowd of hopeful migrants visited over 65 stands in the huge new SMX Convention Centre, part of the Mall of Asia complex, the largest shopping mall in Asia. 

The US and Canada was the obvious first choice for most enquirers, but there is an increasing interest in Australia and New Zealand where the immigration system is more open and attractive to skilled workers. 

Both Australia and Canada offer faster and more flexible routes to settlement than the UK, which has recently introduced the Border Immigration and Citizenship Act which will eventually increase the number of years of required work to apply for residency from five eight.

Britain’s proposed ‘Pathway to Citizenship’ is more like a road to purgatory compared with settlement rules in Canada, Australia and even the United States.

In Canada, even lower skilled fast food counter workers on work permits can apply for residency after six months in some states.

Australia even allows graduating students to apply for residency, in a bid to retain talent.

UK NVQ student schemes attracted huge interest among the hundreds of nursing graduates looking to learn new skills to enhance their career prospects abroad. 

Saturday speakers included: Crispin Aranda of IVC, Charles Kelly of Immigration Matters, Banco de Oro, AG Finance on student loans, Philippine Nurses Association and the British Council.

The organisers say they will run a second show in February 2010.

MORE IMMIGRATION NEWS THIS WEEK:

WWW.IMMIGRATIONMATTERS.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS

Judge condemns Government’s ‘lax’ immigration policy

A Crown Court Judge condemned the Government’s immigration policy and lack of border controls whilst passing sentence on an illegal immigrant this week. 

Senior Surgeon calls for Immigration Rule change on Doctors

The BBC reports that a senior surgeon is calling for immigration rules for overseas doctors to be changed to allow for increased recruitment of middle-grade medics, but the UKBA say the points based system is flexible enough.

Points based system to fully support recruitment of international students says Lord Mandelson

Lord Mandelson has assured the education sector that he will ensure that the points based system for student visas supports the UK education sector.

Immigration Officers strike threatens airport chaos

The walk out by immigration officers bound to cause delays for non-EU travellers, where long queues are the norm, especially migrant workers and students arriving at major ports.

Would you live in Scotland to earn a British Passport?

Despite the negative press, the idea of allowing immigration to counter emigration from areas of the UK seems to make sense. Similar schemes are used to attract people to live in less popular parts of Canada and Australia.

If you need any immigration advice or help with Settlement, Citizenship, Sponsorship, extending Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit http://www.immigrationmatters.co.uk/

Keshav Singhal said Wales was more affected by a UK-wide shortage of doctors than other areas. He said:

“The recruitment from the Indian subcontinent which traditionally filled a lot of gaps in the NHS has almost completely dried up.”

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) said the points based immigration system used was flexible.

The British Medical Association in Wales has called for urgent action over the shortage of middle-grade doctors, who often act as the senior doctor on duty in hospitals.

It has said immigration law changes have led to doctors recruited overseas having their entry to the UK delayed.

One west Wales NHS trust has said it has more than 60 vacant doctor posts which could make some of its hospitals “clinically unsafe”.

In Swansea, a crisis in doctor recruitment has led the city’s in-patient paediatrics unit being moved from Singleton Hospital to Morriston Hospital. The move is being made on Thursday.

Mr Singhal, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, said immigration policy changes as well as the European directive limiting junior doctors’ working hours were affecting doctor recruitment. He said:

“The two coming together more or less at the same time has meant that we just don’t have enough pairs of hands.

“The doctors who are permitted to come over [from overseas] are only permitted to do so for very short stretches, which is neither enough to complete their training, nor enough to give them a career in this country.

“The government needs to look at it very seriously and perhaps devise a Welsh-specific solution because it’s more of a problem in Wales than it is in home counties.”

Points-based system

He said Wales historically had a recruitment shortfall because locally-trained doctors had a “tendency to gravitate towards London”.

“That [shortfall] has traditionally been filled by overseas doctors and that has dried up,” he said.

A UK Border Agency spokesperson said:

“Our Australian-style points based system does not prevent overseas doctors the health service needs from coming to the UK.

“Foreign doctors can come here to work through Tier 1, which is for highly skilled migrants, or Tier 2, which is for skilled migrants. Students coming to the UK to study medicine can come in under Tier 4.

“The points based system means only those we need can come here to work. It is also flexible so that we can raise or lower the bar according to the needs of the labour market and the country as a whole.

“Overseas doctors who meet the criteria will be welcomed.

“The Migration Advisory Committee has also recognised shortages in a number of specialities and their advice has been accepted by the government.”
Source BBC

Immigration Matters Comment

The UKBA is technically correct, although it is not that easy for foreign Doctors to understand and jump through the hoops of Tier’s 1,2 and 4.

 Even under the previous Work Permit scheme, increasing overseas recruitment for any sector would be simply be a matter of the Home Office or UKBA adding the job to the Shortage Occupations list.

The UKBA recently revised the list following recommendations by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which advises the Government on labour shortages throughout the UK, but did not include junior or middle ranking doctors.

The list had been earlier revised because British junior doctors were not able to find work.

The problem appears to be regional rather than national. Wales and Scotland has always struggled to recruit both Nurses and Doctors, as migrant workers tend to gravitate towards larger Cities and the South East of England.

Scottish MP’s have long called for its own immigration policy, but this has been ruled out due to fears that the system could be abused.  

Scotland (and parts of the North of England and Wales) has a falling population, but has yet to come up with any other way of increasing the number of people willing to settle there other than through immigration.

I am in the Philippines this week an will be speaking at the MOVE EXPO at the SMX Convention Centre in Manila on 31 July and 1 August. 

The migration show and conference is expection up to 10,0000 visitors and will have exhibitors of work and study schemes, as well as colleges such as NVQ provider Majestic College.

If you need any immigration advice or help with Settlement, Citizenship, Sponsorship, extending Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit http://www.immigrationmatters.co.uk/

Related articles

Would you live in Scotland to earn a British Passport?

New Government-approved shortage occupation lists for Tier 2 of the Points Based System

How to switch immigration categories into the skilled worker category (Tier 2 General)

Points Based Tier 4 starts 31 March  

UK migrants face tougher challenge to work, study or settle

Public concerns about a “population explosion” over the next 20 years have forced the Government to propose a points-based system for those seeking citizenship.

The population of 61million is expected to hit 70million by 2029 and ministers have made it harder for migrants on work permits to stay permanently in the Borders Citizenship Act 2009, which received the Royal Assent on 21 July.

But yesterday, the Scottish Secretary revealed that if immigrants were willing to live in under-populated parts of Britain, they would find it easier to pass the test.

Jim Murphy said:

‘Having lived and worked in Scotland is proposed as one way to earn points.’

The move, contained in a draft consultation to be released in the next few weeks, means prospective British citizens already settled in Britain may flock north of the border, where the population is falling, to ensure they have enough points to be successful.

Critics point out it will be extremely difficult to check that an applicant is living and working in Scotland and whether they will stay there.

Also, once a passport application is approved, the Government has no control over the person’s movements as there are obviously no border controls, unless Scot Gordon Brown is proposing to rebuild the Roman ‘Hadrian’s Wall’.

Shadow Immigration Minister Damian Green said:

“This is completely absurd.”

Campaigners said it could damage a sound Home Office policy that is designed to make it tougher for migrants to settle in Britain. At present, there is a firm link between a migrant obtaining a visa to work here, and going on to receive a British passport.

Under these rules, the number of British passports given to migrants is set to hit a record of almost 220,000 this year.

During the first three months of 2009, 54,615 citizenship applications were issued by the Home Office to qualifying migrants – up 57 per cent on the same period a year earlier.

Last year, the number of passports granted was 129,310, and when Labour came to power in 1997, just 37,010 people were given citizenship.

Sir Andrew Green, chairman of the campaign group Migrationwatch UK, said:

“It is an excellent scheme to split economic migration from the right to settle, but it makes no sense to treat Scotland differently.

“A condition requiring residency in Scotland is completely unenforceable. ‘England receives over 90 per cent of immigration, and faces 95 per cent of the extra 10million population now projected for the next 20 years.

We cannot allow the tail to wag the dog on a matter that is so important to the future of our society.”

A Home Office spokesman said:

“The points system has already proved to be a powerful tool for controlling migration, which is why we are now looking at applying its principles to the path to citizenship.

“The measures require migrants to earn citizenship.

“This is the first step towards breaking the automatic link between temporary residence and permanent settlement.

“But, we want to look at raising the bar even more.”

Immigration Matters Comment

Despite the negative press, the idea of allowing immigration to counter emigration from areas of the UK seems to make sense. Similar schemes are used to attract people to live in less popular parts of Canada and Australia.

Scotland (and parts of the North of England and Wales) has a falling population, but has yet to come up with any other way of increasing the number of people willing to settle there.

Read more: http://www.immigrationmatters.co.uk/royal-assent-for-the-borders-citizenship-and-immigration-act-2009.html

If you need any immigration advice or help with Settlement, Citizenship, Sponsorship, extending Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit http://www.immigrationmatters.co.uk/

How will the Care Sector, which depends on overseas workers, and work permit holders be affected by the new Law? 

This week the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 received the Royal Assent, which means the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration ‘Bill’ has now officially become an Act of Parliament and is now enshrined in UK Law.

When a Bill has completed all its parliamentary stages, it needs Royal Assent from the Queen before it can become law. Bills that receive Royal Assent become Acts of Parliament.

The rules are part of the biggest curbs on migration in six decades and will make it harder for working migrants to settle in the UK.  

Related articles:

Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill will make it harder to settle in the UK

How will new Act affect non-EU Care Sector workers?

The care sector, which includes hospitals, care homes and domiciliary care agencies employs a large number of non-EU care workers and nurses on work permits.

Many of these migrant workers, employed on work permits, are expecting to obtain permanent residency or ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’ (ILR) when their current permits expire – having worked for five years.

Under the new Act they may find that this is no longer possible.

Employers could find themselves having to once again extend work permits, which will mean paying further fees and registering as sponsors under Tier 2, if they want to keep their overseas staff such as Senior Carers and Nurses.

Thousands of work permit holders have already had to extend work permits and leave to remain in the last three years when the Home Office moved the then ILR limit from four to five years.

Now the Government is bringing in further changes, which it openly admits will cut down the numbers of migrant workers settling in the UK.

Whether or not you agree with immigration, there can be no argument about the need for overseas workers in the long term care sector.

What should you do if you are in the UK on a Work Permit?

Evelie Padadac of Immigration Advisers Bison UK advises migrant workers to “apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain as soon as you are eligible and make sure your current permit takes you beyond five years of continuous work”.

The new law does not mean work permit holders can no longer obtain ILR, but it will take longer to obtain.

What should you do if you are in the UK under other categories such as ILR?

Apply for Citizenship as soon as you are eligible, unless of course you have no desire to be a British Citizen.

If you do not agree with the above changes, you should write to your MP and ask him or her to write to Phil Woolas to request a longer transitional period.

MORE IMMIGRATION NEWS THIS WEEK:

WWW.IMMIGRATIONMATTERS.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS

House of Commons Home Affairs Committee report on ‘Bogus Colleges’ slams Government

The House of Commons Home Affairs Committee has published it’s report on ‘Bogus Colleges’ heavily criticising the Government for doing enough to control rogue educational institutions. MPs on the committee claim that tens of thousands of foreign nationals “may” have been brought into the UK illegally by fake colleges. Full story…

Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act gives new powers to Border Officers

The Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act, which received the Royal Assent on 21 July 2009, gives thousands of customs and immigration officers wide ranging new powers, the UK Border Agency has announced. Full story…

UK Swine Flu Advice Service launched  

A new Swine Flu advice and resource service has been launched today in England by the National Pandemic Flu Service. Full story…

The 2009 MOVE EXPO SMX Convention Center 31 July to 1 August

The 2009 MOVE (Migration Overseas opportunities, Visas and Employment) Expo gives Filipinos a unique opportunity to visit exhibitors from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK – all in one place. Charles Kelly of Immigration Matters will be speaking at the event at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Manila from 31 July to 1 August 2009.

If you need any immigration advice or help with Settlement, Citizenship, Sponsorship, extending Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit http://www.immigrationmatters.co.uk/

Border Officers from the UK Border Agency’s West Midlands headquarters, actually quite a long way from any UK border physical post, supported by Warwickshire police officers, used special Co2 probes to detect human breathing in the backs of lorries.

Officers patrolled the lorry park and talked to lorry drivers about immigrants who may have hidden in their vehicles at key border crossings to the United Kingdom such as Calais, gathering intelligence to help catch stowaways sooner.

Quite why the UK Border Agency chose to mount the raid in Warwick, some 183 miles or just under 300km from the port of Dover where most illegal migrants would first enter the UK on the back of a lorry, was not explained.

Drivers were also warned about the heavy financial penalties they could face if they fail to secure their lorries properly.

Simon Excell, UK Border Agency deputy director, said:

‘We have already seen a significant fall in illegal immigrants sneaking in to the United Kingdom thanks to high profile operations like this one and the deployment of a mobile detention van which patrols the motorways of the Midlands and East of England.

‘The message is getting out to would-be illegal migrants and organised smuggling gangs that we will catch them, we will detain them and we will deport them.’

Officers have already detained and impounded several vehicles after drivers and haulage companies were identified as not having paid civil penalties for failing to secure their vehicles during previous immigration checks.

Over £15,000 has so far been recovered in unpaid civil penalties from drivers and haulage companies.

Simon Excell added:

‘Our top priority is to stop would-be illegal immigrants before they reach the United Kingdom. That’s why we’ve got hundreds of British immigration officers based overseas.

‘Since April 2008 our officers based in France and Belgium have stopped over 30,000 individual attempts by illegal migrants to get into Britain.

‘We are leading this crackdown to show that there is no hiding place for those who try to cheat their way across the border.’

This week the UK Border Agency was given wider powers under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act, which became Law on 21 July. 

It is estimated that the cost of deporting a person is around £10,000, but this could be much higher if the case goes to a legal aid funded appeal, with the migrant being held in a detention centre for months on end.

Leading think tank, ippr, said it would it would take at least 20 years to find and remove half a million illegal immigrants at a cost of over £5 billion.

Earlier this month the Government was criticised for wasting millions of pounds flying illegal immigrants back to their country in private jets.

Related articles:

Millions wasted on deportations by private jet

UK immigrant amnesty ‘worth £3bn’ say LSE 

If you need any immigration advice or help with Studying in the UK, Settlement, Citizenship, Sponsorship, extending Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

The care sector, which includes hospitals, care homes and domiciliary care agencies employs a large number of non-EU care workers and nurses on work permits.

Many of these migrant workers, employed on work permits, were expecting to obtain permanent residency or ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’ (ILR) when their current permits expire. Under the new Act they may find that this is no longer possible.

Employers could find themselves having to once again extend work permits, which for some will mean registering as sponsors under Tier 2, if they want to keep their overseas staff such as Senior Carers and Nurses.

Thousands of work permit holders have already had to extend work permits and leave to remain in the last three years when the Home Office moved the then ILR limit from four to five years.

Now the Government is bringing in further changes, which it openly admits will cut down the numbers of migrant workers settling in the UK.

Whether or not you agree with immigration, there can be no argument about the need for overseas workers in the long term care sector.

What should you do if you are in the UK on a Work Permit?

Evelie Padadac of Immigration Advisers Bison UK advises migrant workers to “apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain as soon as you are eligible and make sure your current permit takes you beyond five years of continuous work”.

What should you do if you are in the UK under other categories such as ILR?

Apply for Citizenship as soon as you are eligible, unless of course you have no desire to be a British Citizen.

If you do not agree with the above changes, you should write to your MP and ask him or her to write to Phil Woolas to request a longer transitional period.

If you need any immigration advice or help with Settlement, Citizenship, Sponsorship, extending Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

For more information on the Act see: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/legislation/bci

The Government say the powers are needed to create a new “unified force at the border” and to “crack down on illegal immigration and the smuggling”.

Frontline customs and immigration officers will work together as the ‘UK Border Agency’ (UKBA) with the power to question passengers on immigration and customs matters. 

The UKBA said: “this means passengers will face just one primary check point when coming in to the United Kingdom, speeding up their journey”.

More than 3,500 officers have already been trained with the skills to carry out passport and customs checks since the creation of the UK Border Agency in April 2008.

On 5 August, 4,500 HM Revenue and Customs staff will formally become part of the UK Border Agency. 

Since April 2008, The UKBA has: 

• stopped over 30,000 individual attempts by illegal migrants to get into Britain through France and Belgium;
• stopped over 12,900 dangerous weapons, including firearms, stun guns and knives, reaching the street;
• seized over £379 million worth of illegal drugs; and
• seized in excess of 923 million cigarettes – representing a potential loss of £174 million in tax revenue

Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: 

“This is part of the biggest transformation of our border controls in a generation. A unified force at the Border with the powers to carry out customs and immigration checks allows us to continue the crack down on illegal immigration and the smuggling of drugs and weapons.

“I am determined that Britain’s border remains one of the strongest in the world. This Act is an important part of ensuring it stays that way.” 

The Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act also ensures that “migrants who want to become British citizens earn the right to stay by speaking English, paying taxes and obeying the law”, the UKBA said.

The UKBA added: 

“It will speed up the path to citizenship for those who contribute to the community by being active citizens. Under the new system full access to benefits and social housing will be reserved for citizens and permanent residents – a route that can take up to ten years.” 

Many migrants would argue that they are happy with the current “speed” oor length of time it takes to gain Citizenship – 5 years - rather than 8 years under the new Act.

Mr Woolas added: 

“This new Act ensures that those who want to stay earn the right to do so, learn to speak English and play by the rules. Those that don’t will not be allowed to become citizens, making our system both firmer and fairer.

“I want to go further and within the next few weeks we will publish a consultation to examine how the current points based system for economic migrants, which has proved to be an effective and powerful tool for controlling migration, could be applied to citizenship.” 

In the next few weeks the Home Office will publish proposals to extend the points based system to citizenship. 

The aim is to build on the reforms to citizenship in the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act, providing even “greater controls over the number of people who want to settle permanently in the United Kingdom”. 

The Government said the Act will allow for a more “flexible approach” with the ability to “raise and lower” the threshold depending on the needs of the United Kingdom.

If you need any immigration advice or help with Settlement, Citizenship, Sponsorship, extending Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk  or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk