Many of those in the construction industry campaigned against Brexit as they were concerned about the impact of the end of free movement on the import and supply of construction material and on the availability of skilled European construction workers. The UK construction industry, and particularly so in London, relies heavily on its European workforce.

You would think that with the end of free movement on the 31 December 2020 that the UK government would be encouraging EU nationals already living and working in the UK to consider applying for British citizenship. However, British citizenship solicitors say that it’s actually got harder for EU nationals to become British citizens. That shouldn’t put you off from applying for British naturalisation but you do need to take care with your British citizenship application.

The new skilled worker visa is being introduced as part of the UK points based immigration system and will replace the Tier 2 (General) visa. Whilst the end of free movement for EU citizens will occur on the 31 December 2020 and the full introduction of the new UK points based immigration system will take place on the 1 January 2021, the skilled worker visa will come into effect at 9 am on the 1 December 2020.

Finally, some good news for landlords and tenants. The government is launching online right to rent checks from the 25 November 2020. Using the new online scheme, landlords will be able to carry out right to rent checks to make sure prospective tenants are legally allowed to rent a property from them using the Home Office checking service.

This month you may have some time on your hands because our opportunities to socialise are now severely curtailed again. Once we are released from the latest Covid-19 restrictions, thoughts and plans will be focussed on seeing family and friends and Christmas. That’s why between now and the 2 December it may be worth investigating how you can become a British citizen if you are an EU national living in the UK. 

To say that the partners at OTS Solicitors were delighted by their continued success and recognition in Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession 2021 is an understatement. After all, the release of the 2021 Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession directory followed shortly after the firm’s success in the 2021 Legal 500 directory so it was a ‘good news month’.

What is referred to as the Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules HC 813 not only provides more information on the new UK points based immigration system but within the 500 page document there are changes to the maintenance requirement. This is important news if you are planning on making an immigration application and need to meet the maintenance requirement.

Most people would agree that we are living in very difficult times but for EU nationals living and working in the UK it is getting that much harder with the deadline for the end of free movement fast approaching on the 31 December 2020 and the Home Office change in policy making it tougher for some EU citizens to obtain British citizenship. In this article we look at the best pathways for EU nationals to secure British citizenship.

There is increasing talk in the press about the need for UK business owners to be ’Brexit ready’ and to ensure that UK businesses, large and small, apply for their sponsor licence now.

With government advice to work from home, followed by exhortations to return to our workplaces, with a quick you-turn and a repeat of the recommendation to work from home it isn’t surprising that business owners, HR advisors and employees are uncertain about what they should do for the best.

The European Union is proposing reform of EU migration across EU countries. The proposals are timely as the recent fires at the Moira camp in Greece have once again shown just how vulnerable migrants are and have also exposed the divisions between different countries in their approach towards EU migration. In this blog we look at the EU migration proposals.

2020 has been a tough year for everyone but on the 30 September 2020 the lawyers at OTS Solicitors were delighted to receive some great news about rankings in the Legal 500 2021 law directory.

With Brexit and the forthcoming end of free movement for EU citizens and the planned introduction of a new points based immigration system, businesses and HR advisors are asking whether the UK business visit visa will meet some of their business immigration needs. In this blog we look at business immigration and the UK business visit visa and whether it may meet some of your short term business immigration needs.

The Home Office has introduced a new Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules ‘HC 707’ that will affect student visa applicants under the new UK points based immigration system. In this blog we look at student visas and how students will be affected by the points based immigration system.

Student Visa Solicitors 

The question ‘am I eligible for the Hong Kong visa?’ is one that UK immigration solicitors are being asked now in advance of the introduction of the UK’s new Hong Kong BNO visa route that will open to visa applicants from the 1 January 2021. In this blog we look at eligibility criteria for the new Hong Kong visa.

UK immigration and Hong Kong visa solicitors 

Immigration solicitors are pleased to note that the Home Office has issued new overseas or intercountry adoptionguidance for those adoptive parents looking to adopt from overseas.

Some visa applicants think long-term whereas others are just happy to secure their first work visa, family visa or student visa so that they can enter the UK and start their new life. From the perspective of a UK immigration solicitor it is never too early to ask the question ‘what are my UK settlement options?’ That way we can work out the best and quickest settlement route for you so that you can plan ahead. 

If you are wondering what a Skilled Worker Licence is then you are not on your own in not understanding the planned new points based immigration system. Many UK business owners are still getting to grips with how Brexit and the end of free movement will impact on their recruitment strategy. Business owners are also grappling with the economic fallout of Covid-19 and trying to work out how Covid-19 will affect their business and their recruitment needs.

The one thing that immigration solicitors will tell you is that personal immigration law doesn’t just involve the main visa applicant but their whole family. Your family members may want to accompany you or join you as the visa applicant at a later date on a dependant visa or settle in the UK. Alternatively, family members may want to regularly come to the UK on visit visas to see you.