Free Movement

The big news last month was statement of changes HC 584 which introduces a new form of relief for skilled workers who are recognised as victims of modern slavery, and makes changes to how section 3C leave is used, amongst other things. Jasmine covers the Immigration Advice Authority’s announcement that it is overhauling its competence assessments and explains how candidates can prepare for the changes.
On the case law front, we look at the case of an Albanian national who was deported despite being recognised as a victim of trafficking. We also discuss a relatively novel procedural decision in which the First-tier Tribunal treated an appeal as abandoned. Isaac talks us through the new ‘single protection interview’ guidance and what it is likely to mean in practice.
Finally, we cover several developments in compliance and enforcement for skilled worker sponsor licence holders. The Home Office is tightening enforcement, and licence revocations are at an all time high, particularly in the care sector. All that and more.

Statement of changes (00:30)
Statement of changes HC 584: sponsorship rules eased for modern slavery victims and return of Erasmus+
Modern slavery victims on Skilled Worker visas to receive major new relief, but implementation details are key
Two rule changes narrow the use of section 3C leave from 8 October

Immigration Advice Authority (07:22)
IAA overhauls competence assessments and registration process

Asylum and protection (14:03)
Asylum appeal backlog coming under control
Past trafficking alone does not mean certifying asylum claim was incorrect
New single protection interview guidance published
No right of appeal where appeal abandoned

Work and study (28:10)
Faster cancellation of Skilled Worker permission demonstrates the enforcement grip is tightening
Home Office crackdown on care providers: from exploitation to routine compliance issues
Licence revocation quashed in Moon Fish but reporting duties still stringent
High Court upholds student visa brake and dismisses challenge by seven claimants

New briefings (40:26)
Global Talent: the new design industry route
How to instruct a country expert

Jasmine is back with Mala Savjani, partner at Wilsons Solicitors, for August's round up of immigration law news.
Mala talks through the latest quarterly statistics which show immigration, asylum and citizenship numbers all falling, and why the Supreme Court found an illegal working civil penalty notice to be invalid. We discuss two important Upper Tribunal cases, one sets out what makes a good country expert report, and the other is the long-awaited country guidance on Albanian male victims of trafficking.
We also cover the statement of changes lifting work restrictions for skilled workers with a positive conclusive grounds decision (more on that next month), and a case on the restricted nature of Article 8 family life. Jasmine explains why an appeal brought for a child without valid instructions is no appeal at all and the importance of evidencing future intentions in the UK when it comes to registering a child as British under section 3(1) of the British Nationality Act. Plus lots more.
Immigration statistics (00:28)
Latest immigration statistics: immigration, asylum and citizenship numbers all fall

Asylum and protection (04:02)
Upper Tribunal provides guidance on what makes a good country expert report
New Country Guidance case for Albanian male victims of trafficking
Home Office concedes that trafficking survivors with skilled worker visas can have their leave varied to VTS leave

Family (15:01)
Court of Appeal reiterates restricted nature of Article 8 family life

Children (17:45)
An appeal brought on behalf of a child without valid instructions is no appeal at all

Work (20:35)
Supreme Court finds illegal working civil penalty notice invalid for failing to specify the basis for liability

Citizenship (23:14)
Challenge to citizenship refusal under section 3(1) by stateless children refused for lack of supporting evidence

Visitors (25:56)
Gaza visit visa refusal amounted to a human rights refusal despite the wording of the decision letter
Visitor visa applicants must be allowed to respond to ‘not genuinely seeking entry’ allegation

New briefings (32:42)
How to respond to the Home Office if a sponsor’s licence is suspended
How to handle counter-allegations in domestic abuse cases
Why does a positive trafficking decision not automatically establish an asylum claim?
How to apply for immigration bail

Isaac Abraham is back to join Jasmine for this month's episode. It's a bit of a longer one this month as we dedicated the first section to the big news that was the Immigration and Asylum Bill. Isaac has explained the bill's different parts and its passage through Parliament so far.
Jasmine goes through the most recent statement of changes and then a number of cases, including a successful challenge from a trafficking victim who was forced at gunpoint to steer a small boat across the Channel. Isaac looks at two separate Home Office actions that have been found unlawful, including the secret policy capping trafficking leave to 12 months and the removal of the right to request reconsideration of a trafficking decision. There were also two quite shocking fraud cases and a reminder to solicitors to watch out for 'red flags'.
We also highlight the changes to right to work checks coming in from 1 October. Plus much more!

Immigration and Asylum Bill (00:41)
What’s in the Immigration and Asylum Bill 2026?

Statement of changes (13:08)
Statement of Changes HC 259: changes to children’s settlement rules under Part 8 and exception to immigration bail prohibition

Asylum and protection (15:13)
Refugee families left in limbo as challenge to suspension of refugee family reunion route is dismissed
Over 1,000 people seeking sanctuary convicted of illegal arrival in the UK
Successful legal challenge for survivor of trafficking forced to steer small boat across Channel
Secret Home Office policy capping trafficking leave at 12 months declared unlawful
Home Office acted unlawfully by removing reconsiderations for trafficking decisions

Procedure (33:48)
Immigration firm criticised for failing to identify possible client fraud
‘Well-oiled’ fraudulent business machine behind fake judicial review claims uncovered

Business (39:38)
Right to work checks are changing: what employers need to know before October 2026
High Court quashes sponsor licence revocation over unspoken dishonesty allegation
Options for care workers when an employer’s sponsor licence is revoked
The case for a dedicated UK fishing visa

Briefings - new and updated (47:13)
The Tameside duty of inquiry: what is it and why is it relevant to immigration law practitioners?
Fee waivers: what can you do if you cannot afford to pay your immigration application fee?
Applying for British citizenship by naturalisation
Good character and criminal convictions in British citizenship applications
Suitability refusals: alleged deception, false information and innocent mistakes

In this month's round-up, Jasmine is joined by Mala Savjani, an associate solicitor at Wilsons. They cover the latest tribunal statistics, which make for grim reading as the asylum appeals backlog has climbed past 87,000 cases. With roughly twice as many cases coming in as going out, anyone lodging an appeal now faces a wait of close to three years.
Mala then unpacks the judicial review challenges to the Home Office's good character citizenship policy. Jasmine and Mala also cover a Court of Appeal decision on Iranian sur place claims, a win for Freedom from Torture and the Helen Bamber Foundation over asylum accommodation protections, and a curious split between the English and Scottish courts on age assessments. Plus, the new compliance regime for universities, the English language test fraud allegations saga, settlement and more! 

Asylum and protection (02:03)
Asylum appeal backlog rises to 87,450 cases
Home Office withdraws refusals in good character citizenship policy challenges
Court of Appeal declines to give wider guidance on Iranian sur place claims

Home Office unlawfully removed asylum accommodation protections for torture and trafficking survivors
Divergent approach to age assessments adopted in different parts of the UK

Settlement (19:15)
Yet another case on criminality for pre-2012 discretionary leave holder seeking settlement

Business and study (22:20)
Compliance flashes red for universities
Three rounds of sponsor guidance updates and what the latest changes mean for employers
High Court strikes out Home Secretary’s fraud accusations in TOEIC damages claim

Briefings - new and updated (30:58)
Legal aid for immigration cases: what is in scope and how to apply
Getting Global Talent endorsements right: what separates approvals from refusals
Briefing: the duty of refugee sea rescue in international law
How to apply for entry clearance for victims of transnational marriage abandonment
Age assessments: how to challenge a negative decision

This month, Jasmine is joined by Isaac Abraham, a solicitor at the Islington Law Centre. They discuss the King’s speech and the latest immigration statistics, which show a fall in net migration and asylum claims, but a steadily growing appeals backlog. The number of sponsor licence revocations has also shot up. Jasmine interviewed Luke Piper last month about the devastation this is causing to sponsored workers, particularly in the health and care sector.
Isaac discusses a number of new cases including a challenge by Syrian asylum seekers against removal to Bulgaria based on article 3 grounds and what happens to someone’s entitlement to benefits when they are subject to deportation proceedings. Jasmine talks about the problems that UK universities are creating for international student entrepreneurs and elsewhere there has been a judicial review challenge to the Home Secretary’s decision to grant temporary protection status of only 30 months to refugees. All this and much more! 

Immigration statistics and news (01:30)
Latest immigration statistics show falls in net migration and fall in asylum claims
Work visas, employer crackdowns and the nationalities caught in the middle
Nearly 90% of conclusive grounds reconsiderations result in positive outcome and more UK referrals than ever
Immigration legislation re-announced in King’s Speech

Asylum and protection (16:13)
We’re challenging the Home Secretary’s decision to grant temporary protection status of only 30 months
Upper Tribunal finds arguable Article 3 breach in Bulgarian removal challenge

Family and human rights (23:42)
Gurkha historic injustice does not remove the need to prove causation
Which takes priority: family or immigration proceedings?

Students (30:37)
Sold entrepreneurship, barred from business? The student visa trap
Can a Student visa holder sit as a member of the Scottish Parliament? Yes, they can

Deportation (37:45)
Social security case looks at the interplay between deportation and entitlement to benefits

Briefings – new and updated (42:15)
Briefing: registering a child as British
Right to rent checks: a practical guide for landlords and letting agents in England
What is the no recourse to public funds condition?
Briefing: how to apply for a religious work visa
How does absence from the UK work under the EU settlement scheme?
Changes to the absence rules for EU Settlement Scheme