https://freemovement.org.uk Updates, commentary, training and advice on immigration and asylum law Mon, 07 Sep 2026 10:27:49 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://freemovement.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/cropped-Goose-logo-32x32.png https://freemovement.org.uk 32 32 https://freemovement.org.uk/global-talent-new-design-industry-route/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=global-talent-new-design-industry-route https://freemovement.org.uk/global-talent-new-design-industry-route/#respond Mon, 07 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=243077 It’s always exciting when there is an addition to the various immigration options. In July, we got a new offering when the Home Office added design industry as a new endorsement route, with a new endorsing body in the form of the Design Business Association (DBA). Like architecture and fashion design, these peer review applications […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/global-talent-new-design-industry-route/feed/ 0 243077 https://freemovement.org.uk/uk-graduate-visa-rules-appendix-graduate/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=uk-graduate-visa-rules-appendix-graduate https://freemovement.org.uk/uk-graduate-visa-rules-appendix-graduate/#respond Fri, 04 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000 https://env-7121714.mightybox.site/?p=162935 The graduate immigration route is for international students who have completed a degree or other higher educational qualification in the UK. It allows people who previously had a student visa to: There is no requirement to have a sponsor in order to apply under this route. The application costs £937 plus the immigration health surcharge. […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/uk-graduate-visa-rules-appendix-graduate/feed/ 0 162935 https://freemovement.org.uk/statement-of-changes-hc-584-modern-slavery/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=statement-of-changes-hc-584-modern-slavery https://freemovement.org.uk/statement-of-changes-hc-584-modern-slavery/#respond Fri, 04 Sep 2026 07:12:26 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=243201 The latest statement of changes to the immigration rules has been published, accompanied by an explanatory memorandum and a ministerial statement. If you want to see the rules in context, we have updated our Free Movement immigration rules browser app and you can move the date slider forward to the upcoming commencement dates so that you can see […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/statement-of-changes-hc-584-modern-slavery/feed/ 0 243201 https://freemovement.org.uk/high-court-upholds-student-visa-brake/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=high-court-upholds-student-visa-brake https://freemovement.org.uk/high-court-upholds-student-visa-brake/#respond Thu, 03 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=243028 The High Court has dismissed a judicial review challenging the Home Secretary’s ‘visa brake’. Seven women who were at various stages of securing places and scholarships when the measure took effect argued that the ban was irrational, that it discriminated against women, and that it unlawfully fettered the Home Secretary’s discretion to grant leave outside […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/high-court-upholds-student-visa-brake/feed/ 0 243028 https://freemovement.org.uk/free-movement-weekly-immigration-newsletter-134/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=free-movement-weekly-immigration-newsletter-134 https://freemovement.org.uk/free-movement-weekly-immigration-newsletter-134/#respond Wed, 02 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=243069 Welcome to the weekly Free Movement newsletter! The latest immigration statistics were released at the end of last week, and immigration, asylum and citizenship numbers are all down. The asylum decisions backlog has nearly halved and there was a record number of sponsor licence revocations. The Home Secretary is very pleased, but falling immigration figures have long-term social […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/free-movement-weekly-immigration-newsletter-134/feed/ 0 243069 https://freemovement.org.uk/civil-penalty-appeals-judicial-discretion/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=civil-penalty-appeals-judicial-discretion https://freemovement.org.uk/civil-penalty-appeals-judicial-discretion/#respond Wed, 02 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=242907 Challenging civil penalty notices for breaches of section 15 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 has long been complicated by a lack of binding or persuasive authorities. However, we have seen a number of promising developments in this field in recent months. As helpfully summarised in this post, the Supreme Court recently confirmed […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/civil-penalty-appeals-judicial-discretion/feed/ 0 242907 https://freemovement.org.uk/accuracy-documents-even-those-issued-by-home-office/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=accuracy-documents-even-those-issued-by-home-office https://freemovement.org.uk/accuracy-documents-even-those-issued-by-home-office/#respond Tue, 01 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=242899 The Upper Tribunal has highlighted the enduring consequences of inaccurate information and deception in entry clearance applications in a recent unreported judicial review decision. The applicant in this case, Osman Shuti, is an Albanian man who had visited his son and grandchildren in the UK on several occasions between 2002 and 2007. In September 2008, […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/accuracy-documents-even-those-issued-by-home-office/feed/ 0 242899 https://freemovement.org.uk/faster-skilled-worker-cancellations/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=faster-skilled-worker-cancellations https://freemovement.org.uk/faster-skilled-worker-cancellations/#respond Tue, 01 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=242893 For years, there was often a substantial gap between the premature end of a Skilled Worker’s sponsored employment and the Home Office taking steps to cancel permission (previously referred to as curtailment). The Home Office typically relies on the sponsor to notify it of the end of employment via the sponsorship management system (SMS), unless […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/faster-skilled-worker-cancellations/feed/ 0 242893 https://freemovement.org.uk/effective-protection-relocate-clearly-unfounded-asylum/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=effective-protection-relocate-clearly-unfounded-asylum https://freemovement.org.uk/effective-protection-relocate-clearly-unfounded-asylum/#respond Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:48:32 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=242891 An Indian asylum seeker whose account of the risk he faced changed significantly between his screening and substantive interviews still had his claim certified as clearly unfounded, despite the tribunal setting aside the issues with his credibility. The recently issued unreported decision summarises the relevant authorities on certification claims under section 94 of the Nationality, […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/effective-protection-relocate-clearly-unfounded-asylum/feed/ 0 242891 https://freemovement.org.uk/afghan-bodyguard-relocation-refused/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=afghan-bodyguard-relocation-refused https://freemovement.org.uk/afghan-bodyguard-relocation-refused/#respond Fri, 28 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=242424 The court has dismissed a judicial review challenge brought by an Afghan national who was refused relocation to the UK under the Afghanistan Response Route. The response route was created after the Ministry of Defence released the personal data of those who had applied to relocate from Afghanistan to the UK following the Taliban takeover […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/afghan-bodyguard-relocation-refused/feed/ 0 242424 https://freemovement.org.uk/job-ad-wilson-solicitors-are-recruiting-immigration-caseworkers-trainee-solicitors/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=job-ad-wilson-solicitors-are-recruiting-immigration-caseworkers-trainee-solicitors https://freemovement.org.uk/job-ad-wilson-solicitors-are-recruiting-immigration-caseworkers-trainee-solicitors/#respond Fri, 28 Aug 2026 06:30:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=242818 Salary range: £31,500 to £32,500 Deadline for applications: 11am Monday 14th September 2026 We are one of the UK’s leading legal aid firms ranked in Chambers and the Legal 500 for our immigration work. We believe in justice for all. We are looking to add committed and talented people to our team. We have vacancies […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/job-ad-wilson-solicitors-are-recruiting-immigration-caseworkers-trainee-solicitors/feed/ 0 242818 https://freemovement.org.uk/latest-immigration-statistics-immigration-asylum-and-citizenship-numbers-all-fall/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=latest-immigration-statistics-immigration-asylum-and-citizenship-numbers-all-fall https://freemovement.org.uk/latest-immigration-statistics-immigration-asylum-and-citizenship-numbers-all-fall/#respond Thu, 27 Aug 2026 13:58:38 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=236137 The Home Office has published the latest quarterly immigration statistics, covering the year ending June 2026. It’s the same downward trends we’ve been seeing for the last year: Channel crossings and asylum claims are down, as are family and work visa grants, and even citizenship. Asylum Almost 86,000 people claimed asylum in the year ending […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/latest-immigration-statistics-immigration-asylum-and-citizenship-numbers-all-fall/feed/ 0 236137 https://freemovement.org.uk/general-grounds-refusal-contriving-frustrate-intention-rules/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=general-grounds-refusal-contriving-frustrate-intention-rules https://freemovement.org.uk/general-grounds-refusal-contriving-frustrate-intention-rules/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2026 07:30:00 +0000 https://env-7121714.mightybox.site/?p=42724 Sometimes a migrant here in the UK unlawfully will want to apply for immigration status. Lawyers and the Home Office often call this “regularising” their status, because the person becomes a “regular” migrant within the rules rather than an “irregular” one outside the rules. One of the ways to do this is by leaving the […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/general-grounds-refusal-contriving-frustrate-intention-rules/feed/ 3 42724 https://freemovement.org.uk/members-podcast-how-does-the-law-society-and-its-immigration-law-committee-contribute-to-the-policy-debate/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=members-podcast-how-does-the-law-society-and-its-immigration-law-committee-contribute-to-the-policy-debate https://freemovement.org.uk/members-podcast-how-does-the-law-society-and-its-immigration-law-committee-contribute-to-the-policy-debate/#respond Wed, 26 Aug 2026 15:49:09 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=242784 The immigration tribunal system is under mounting pressure, and the Immigration and Asylum Bill proposes an Independent Immigration Appeals Authority to take over appeals from the First-tier Tribunal. This is just one of several reforms under scrutiny from the profession at the moment. In this episode, Jasmine speaks to Zeena Luchowa, partner at Laura Devine […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/members-podcast-how-does-the-law-society-and-its-immigration-law-committee-contribute-to-the-policy-debate/feed/ 0 242784 https://freemovement.org.uk/new-cg-albanian-male-victims-of-trafficking/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-cg-albanian-male-victims-of-trafficking https://freemovement.org.uk/new-cg-albanian-male-victims-of-trafficking/#respond Wed, 26 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=242695 The Upper Tribunal has published new country guidance on Albanian male victims of trafficking, in the highly anticipated case of LR (Male VOTs) (CG) [2026] UKUT 315 (IAC). The decision runs to 403 paragraphs, with the headnote alone spanning 25. We set out key points from the decision below, but this is only a summary; […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/new-cg-albanian-male-victims-of-trafficking/feed/ 0 242695 https://freemovement.org.uk/free-movement-weekly-immigration-newsletter-133/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=free-movement-weekly-immigration-newsletter-133 https://freemovement.org.uk/free-movement-weekly-immigration-newsletter-133/#respond Tue, 25 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=242673 Welcome to the weekly Free Movement newsletter! Last week, the Regulatory Policy Committee rated part of the Home Office’s impact assessment of the Immigration and Asylum Bill as ‘not fit for purpose’. The analysis focused on the Article 8 public interest and modern slavery rules changes, and found the assessment failed to adequately review alternative approaches or justify […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/free-movement-weekly-immigration-newsletter-133/feed/ 0 242673 https://freemovement.org.uk/respond-home-office-sponsor-licence-suspension/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=respond-home-office-sponsor-licence-suspension https://freemovement.org.uk/respond-home-office-sponsor-licence-suspension/#respond Tue, 25 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=241688 The latest immigration statistics show that sponsor licence enforcement is operating at unprecedented levels. More than 3,000 Skilled Worker sponsor licences were revoked in 2025 alone, around nine times the number of licences revoked in 2023. For sponsors and their advisers, suspension and revocation proceedings have become a regular feature of the sponsorship landscape. You […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/respond-home-office-sponsor-licence-suspension/feed/ 0 241688 https://freemovement.org.uk/what-makes-a-good-country-expert-report/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-makes-a-good-country-expert-report https://freemovement.org.uk/what-makes-a-good-country-expert-report/#respond Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=242605 In the important case of SU (Expert reports – format) Bangladesh [2026] UKUT 00317 (IAC), the Upper Tribunal gave helpful guidance on the format of expert reports and how to ensure they carry weight. It arose in the context of a Bangladeshi asylum claim, which the tribunal dismissed on its facts, but it is the […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/what-makes-a-good-country-expert-report/feed/ 0 242605 https://freemovement.org.uk/visitor-visa-response-to-allegations/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=visitor-visa-response-to-allegations https://freemovement.org.uk/visitor-visa-response-to-allegations/#respond Fri, 21 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=242029 Where a visitor visa is refused on the grounds that the applicant is not genuinely seeking entry as a visitor, this amounts to a finding of deception. Home Office decisions do not always say this explicitly, though. In R (on the application of Sanci) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026] JR-2025-LON-002518, the […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/visitor-visa-response-to-allegations/feed/ 0 242029 https://freemovement.org.uk/you-can-in-fact-vary-a-human-rights-app/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=you-can-in-fact-vary-a-human-rights-app https://freemovement.org.uk/you-can-in-fact-vary-a-human-rights-app/#respond Thu, 20 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://freemovement.org.uk/?p=242250 Paragraph 34BB has always been clear that you can vary any application, including a human rights one. Yet until a few days ago, the ‘Validation, variation, voiding and withdrawal of applications’ guidance stated confusingly that human rights applications could not be varied. I had long suspected, and I can’t imagine I was the only one, […]]]> https://freemovement.org.uk/you-can-in-fact-vary-a-human-rights-app/feed/ 0 242250