<p>The 2024 was a year full of changes and confusion. A new government rule, updates in big immigration rules, and mainly the UK immigration system turning fully digital. This blog will tell you about an immigration event or update that has shaped the year. We will also discuss all the things you can expect in the year 2025.</p>
<h2>New Rules for Business Visitors</h2>
<p>The year had a great start. In January some changes were welcomed to the list of permitted activities for businesses in the Immigration rules. The new rules were added to what visitors are allowed to do in the UK without the need for a visa. The changes included several things. Such as permitting some client-facing activity for those who are visiting a UK branch/subsidiary in the same group and additional permitted activities for overseas lawyers. Also,  people who are entering for permitted paid engagements will not be required to be stamped in by a Border officer. Along with that, they can stay in the UK for more than the one-month paid engagement.</p>
<h2>IHS Fee Increase</h2>
<p>The New Year spirits were soon diminished when on the 6th of February, the Immigration Health Surcharge fee (IHS) nearly doubled from £624 to £1,035 per year of the visa for adults. It increased the visa application costs and the fee was increased by almost 66%. This increase applied to all visa routes that charge the IHS. It includes students, graduates, and dependent visas.</p>
<p>The IHS fee for most of the adult applicants and sponsored workers has now increased from £624 to £1,035 per year. For students, youth mobility workers, and applicants under 18 the IHS fee has increased from £470 to £ 776 per year.</p>
<p>The IHS fee is calculated based on the length of the visa and is charged for every application. If your application includes a part of a year that is not more than 6 months then you need to pay half of the yearly amount. On the contrary, if your application includes part of a year that is more than 6 months then you need to pay for the whole year.</p>
<h2>Civil Penalty Fines Tripled</h2>
<p>Immediately after the IHS fee increase, civil penalty fines tripled. Civil penalties are when an employer is found to be employing someone illegally. It means that employers who are found to be employing people without a right to work can face a serious and higher fine. The maximum penalty for a first-time violation has increased from £15,000 per worker to £45,000 per worker. Also, the maximum penalty for an employer employing an illegal worker has increased from £20,000 to £60,000.</p>
<p>The penalties were increased for several reasons. Such as making it difficult for illegal migrants to work in the United Kingdom, fighting migrant smuggling, and reducing the risky journeys that migrants take.</p>
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<h2>Legal Migration Changes</h2>
<p>In April the retiring government executed some enormous restrictive measures in an attempt to reverse the upwelling trend in net migration numbers. Some of the measures have had a positive effect on reducing the numbers. Sponsored care workers and students (apart from those who are pursuing a postgraduate research course) who were not able to bring their dependent family members have led to a notable decrease in people from those categories.</p>
<p>On the other hand, an increase in the ongoing rates and headline the minimum salary for a skilled worker has had only a marginal effect on the number so far which is from £26,200 to £38,700.</p>
<p>The increase in the minimum income requirement for the partner of a British citizen from £18,600 to £29,000 has not reduced the overall numbers to date. In the year to September of 2024, the applications from overseas were up to 31% but it will automatically lead to more families being separated. </p>
<h2>Long Residence ILR</h2>
<p>The rules for long residence were changed concerning allowed absence from the UK.  The long residence rules permit people who have resided in the UK for 10 years to apply for an indefinite leave to remain (ILR). Calculations for the number of days that a person can spend outside the UK over the 10 years have changed for a time in the UK after April 2024.</p>
<p>The new rules must provide more adaptability for absences going forward but applicants can no longer depend on historic periods of residence. Also, if their current visa was issued on or after the 11th of April 2024 then the applicant must have had a permit on their current immigration route for a minimum of 12 months on the date of application.</p>
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<h2>No More Renewals for Sponsor License</h2>
<p>The UKVI announced that as of April 6th, 2024, they no longer need the UK employers to renew their sponsor license. It means that the sponsors with licenses that expire on or after April 6th, 2024 do not have to apply for renewal or pay a fee.</p>
<p>The validity of all the licenses that expire After 6th April 2024 has been extended for 10 years automatically. Earlier, the validity period was limited to only four years. Also, employees who have sponsor license that expires before April 6th, 2024 will still have to go through the current license renewal process.</p>
<h2>Additional Helpful EU Settlement Scheme Updates</h2>
<p>After the High Court’s legal proceedings, the Home Office has continued to reduce strict demands on individuals with granted permission from the pre-Brexit EU settlement scheme (EUSS). Starting May 2024, individuals who are going near the end of their pre-settled status will now get an automatic 5-year extension (up from 2 years), without being considered as an overstayer.</p>
<p>Pre-settled status will only become void as a matter of law if someone is not present in the UK for 5 years at one time. Also, employers now only have to check a recruit’s pre-settled status once before the employment starts and not again before the expiry. Some individuals with pre-settled status will automatically be granted a settled status. There was additionally a useful relaxation of the rules considering pending prosecutions when submitting the <strong><a href="https://visament.com/blog/eu-settlement-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EU settlement scheme</a></strong> (EUSS) applications.</p>
<p>We still need comprehensibility regarding the long-term position of people who are not eligible for settled status because of constant absences but they are in receipt of these automatic pre-settled status extensions.</p>
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<h2>Lack Of UK Options For New Businesses and Entrepreneurs</h2>
<p>The Global Talent category is still difficult to apply for with a high rejection rate and there are presently no options for investments which has replaced Tier 1 (investor). The Innovator  Founder category is unsuitable for this purpose and entrepreneurs many times do not want to face the restrictions of a Skilled Worker Visa.</p>
<p>Any options for a sponsor license including making use of the UK expansion worker category are made much tougher by a sharp uptick in rejections and the amount of compliance activity.</p>
<h2>Modifications In UKVI’s Commercial Partners</h2>
<p>UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) evaluates all <strong><a href="https://visament.com/blog/uk-visa-application-process" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UK Visa Applications</a></strong> however it uses external commercial partners to supervise the administration around submitting the applications at appointments.</p>
<p>In the UK, Spore Steria was modified to TLScontact in October 2024. Outside the UK, TLS contact locations have slowly been changing to VFS since September 2024. It must be completed by the year 2025. Applicants must observe changes in their location and must be ready for some differences close to the changeover date.</p>
<h2>No More BRPs -Transition to eVisas</h2>
<p>The government itself has set the ambitious target of converting everyone to an eVisa (digital immigration status) by the end of 2024. In August, any individual with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) could make a UKVI account containing the eVisa. For decisions on visas on or after the 1st of November 2024, a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) will no longer be issued.</p>
<p>In December, a last-minute change was announced over fears there is not full readiness for eVisas. Until 31st of March 2025, people traveling to the UK from 1 January 2025 will still need to carry any valid BRP and use the view and prove service if their eVisa doesn’t work.</p>
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<h2>ETA Continues</h2>
<p>In 2024 February, citizens from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE (and Jordan although it was removed later) were added to the list of those who have to apply for an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) before traveling to the UK without a visa as a visitor. An ETA is the UK’s version of the US ESTA.</p>
<p>The ETA is being launched out to all the remaining countries. Citizens of non-EU/EEA countries (including Canada, Austria, New Zealand, and the US) who wish to visit the UK without a visa will require an ETA from January 8, 2025, and they were allowed to apply for November 27, 2024. Citizens of EU and EEA countries along with Switzerland but not Ireland will require an ETA from the 2nd of April 2025. They can start applying for the same from 5th March 2025.</p>
<p>For most individuals, it will be a straightforward administrative process, but those with criminal convictions or complex immigration histories should take advice as early as possible, as <a href="https://visament.com/blog/how-criminal-records-impact-visa-or-immigration-status"><strong>criminal records impact on immigration</strong></a> can be significant. It is also advisable to <a href="https://visament.com/blog/immigration-case-status"><strong>check your immigration case status</strong></a> to ensure there are no unexpected issues that could affect ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) eligibility.</p>
<h2>Law Changes To Look Out For In 2025</h2>
<p>We have listed out some main UK immigration law changes and things to look out for in the year 2025:</p>
<h3>➔ White Paper On Linking Visas with Training</h3>
<p>The Labour has long-winded about their wish to link visas with training. The idea is that before employers can bring in migrant workers they must show that they are helping workers who are already in the UK. A white paper on this topic is expected to be released in the early New Year. This blog aims to highlight some of the problems around this including that a promising beginning would be to focus on utilizing funds from the Immigration Skills Charge properly.</p>
<h3>➔ Reviews Of Migration Advisory Committee (MAC)</h3>
<p>In a similar manner to the white paper, the government is linking the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to the other bodies that are dealing with skills and industrial strategies. The MAC has already been requested to look at shortages of skills in the IT and engineering sectors. Also, if there should be additional partner visa minimum income increases or not. The outcomes of these reviews are liable to contribute to any changes in the policy in the year ahead.</p>
<h3>➔ Issues With eVisas  and ETA schemes</h3>
<p>At the end of the year, some last-minute announcements were made regarding BRPs expiring on the 31st of December 2024 still now being valid for travel to the UK until at least the 31st of March 2025.  The government is bothered about there being eVisa-related delays and problems related to traveling which will give rise to negative headlines.</p>
<p>It is not yet known whether there will be a transition period where the travelers will still be eligible to travel to the UK without an ETA approval for a specific period of time. It is advised to get an ETA as early as possible.</p>
<h3>➔ Travel to the EU</h3>
<p>The latest update related to the new EU entry-exit system (EES) disclosed that the European Commission has proposed a phased implementation over a 6-month period because of ongoing delays. Also, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) has been altered to show that ETIAS is now due to start 6 months after EES. As a result, further delays are expected to these schemes which may affect non-EU citizens' visa-free travel to the EU including British or US citizens.</p>
<h3>➔ Changes In Global Talent Witnessing Body For Digital Tech</h3>
<p>As we discussed in this blog, the Home Office has put the contract out to tender for a new endorsing body to gain control of Tech Nation. The date for the new contract to begin was put forward from May to March 2025. We anticipate with interest what is going to happen and if the criteria for qualifying for digital tech Global Talent applications is going to change.</p>
<h3>➔ UKs Ukraine Schemes</h3>
<p>The Ukraine Permission Extension will start on February 4 and will permit a further 18 months for individuals with permissions under any one of the Ukraine schemes. It will take the total stay for most people to 4.5 years of the usual period of 5 years which was required to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). The government has announced that there are no plans currently for the Ukraine schemes to lead to ILR.</p>
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