Free Movement

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

In the April round-up, Jasmine is joined by Mala Savjani, an associate solicitor at Wilsons. They cover April’s most significant developments, which includes a Court of Appeal decision on what past ill-treatment actually has to look like to amount to persecution, a landmark European Court of Human Rights ruling on returns to Afghanistan, and a High Court judgment looking at whether single hotel rooms are ‘adequate’ for asylum-seeking families.
They also discuss the ongoing saga of the last person stranded on Diego Garcia and practical guidance on domestic abuse cases where survivors fall outside the rules. Plus costs applications, surrogacy, sponsor right to work checks, and more.

Asylum and protection (00:58)
Past arrest and beating of Vietnamese protester does not amount to persecution
European Court rules return of Hazara Afghan national would breach Article 3
Asylum hotel accommodation unlawful where it fails basic standards of adequacy
The importance of early clarification of grounds of appeal
Final Diego Garcia migrant moved from the military base to the Maldives

Family and human rights (15:18)
Home Secretary accepts she can grant further leave on the five-year route without the no recourse to public funds condition
When domestic abuse survivors don’t fit the rules: options and risks
Adoption and surrogacy: when is a child born overseas British?
High Court finds Afghan relocation refusal unlawful and unpublished guidance is withdrawn 

EU Settlement Scheme (27:16)
Continuous residence under the EU Settlement Scheme: changes to automated settlement process and expanded cancellation policy

Work (31:40)
Confusing changes to sponsor right to work checks: what has changed and what is still unclear

Procedure (33:27)
Applications for costs in immigration cases: what practitioners need to know

In the March round-up, Jasmine is joined by Chris Dias to discuss a new practitioner's guide to children's protection claims, whether policies to deter asylum seekers actually work and what happens when the Home Office grants settlement by mistake. They cover a number of cases including the latest in the Diego Garcia saga and the Court of Appeal's approach to deportation and subjective fears of family members.
Chris highlights the key points from the latest statement of changes and new sponsor compliance duties. They also cover some updated briefings, including the right to work for asylum seekers and the electronic travel authorisation scheme.

Asylum and protection (00:44)
A practitioner’s guide to commencing children’s protection claims
Home Office decision to remove public funds from Diego Garcia asylum seekers was unlawful, Upper Tribunal finds
Convicted murderer excluded from protection of Refugee Convention
Why the latest attempt to deter asylum seekers won’t work
Asylum support: what is available and what has changed

Statement of changes (11:05)
Statement of changes HC 1691: changes for refugees, skilled workers, children and more

Settlement (15:14)
What happens if the Home Office grants indefinite leave to remain by mistake?

Deportation (17:15)
Subjective fears of family members are relevant but not enough to prevent deportation

Procedure (19:05)
When can you get a refund for the immigration health surcharge?
Is a person who obtained their leave by deception “lawfully resident”?

Work (22:55)
New sponsor compliance duties you need to act on now
Three months is enough: High Court confirms approach to salary assessment in sponsor licence revocation case
When would you ever use the secondary employment provisions?

Updated articles (28:52)
Can asylum seekers work while waiting for a decision on their case?
Do I need an electronic travel authorisation to enter the UK?