Table of Contents
- UK Seeks More Global Talent Visa Applicants!
- UK's Blocks Hiring Overseas Care Workers!
- 37% Fall in UK Student & Work Visa Applications!
- European Visitors Need an Entry Permit to Visit UK !
- UK Visa Fees to Increase by Up to 28% in April!
- UK Grants 37 Percent Fewer Work Visas in 2024!
- UK Visa Rules Hurt Science and Tech Ambitions
- UK To Start Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme!
- Skilled Worker Visa - Minimum Salary Increase!
- Seasonal Worker Visa puts Migrants at Risk
- 16% Decrease in UK Student Visas in 2024!
- UK Introduces New ETA Travel Visa for Australians
- UK Universities Affected by Student Visa Restrictions
- Immigration Issues Tops British Citizens' Concerns
- UK Labour Government Focuses on Immigration Reforms
- Review of the Politics of UK’s post-Brexit Immigration
- International Students Affected by Visa Changes
- UK Digital Visas to Replace Physical Documents by 2025
- Proposed Visa-Free Travel to the UK for Thais
- Care Workers Can No Longer Bring Family Members to the UK
- The UK's Immigration Health Surcharge Increase Takes Effect
- Salary Threshold for Family members of UK Residents will Not be Increased!
- Top German Politician calls for Closer Ties between the UK and EU
- Carers from Overseas are Subjected to Exploitation
- New Increases in UK Visa Fees, from 04 October
- 66% of UK public 'dissatisfied with government’s approach to immigration'
- UK's Visa options are preventing Foreign Investors
- Increase in UK CAS and Student Visa Intake for Autumn 2023
- Businesses request Government to Re-consider Planned Increase in Skilled Worker Visa Fees
23 June 2025
UK Seeks More Global Talent Visa Applicants!
The UK must enhance its scientific and academic ties with India as the country emerges as a global force in science and technology, said Lord Patrick Vallance, Britain's minister for science, research and innovation. Speaking at the ‘Unlocking UK-India Collaboration for a New Era of Innovation’ session at India Global Forum’s Future Frontiers Forum in London on June 20, 2025, Vallance said there is room to expand the already strong relationship through greater mobility of high-skilled professionals. “There is already a strong relationship between India and the UK, and I think it's growing,” said Vallance. “But government-to-government relationships on science aren't actually what drives everything. It has to be a scientist and a scientist as well. There are important academic links. I'd like to see more of that as India becomes an increasingly powerful player in the science and tech space.” Vallance referred to the Global Talent visa as a key tool to facilitate movement of experts across sectors. This visa route was one of the areas touched upon in the UK government’s Immigration White Paper, released in May, which proposed making the application process easier for top scientists and designers. The Global Talent visa is open to individuals working in sectors such as: Science, engineering, and medicine Humanities and social sciences Arts and culture Digital technology Unlike most UK work visas, it does not require a job offer or sponsorship.
26 May 2025
UK's Blocks Hiring Overseas Care Workers!
Operators are warning the UK’s aged care sector stands on the brink of collapse following new visa restrictions that block Aged Care providers from hiring overseas workers. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a series of measures on Monday 12 May 2025 to curb the number of migrants coming to the UK, including a plan to end care worker visas for overseas recruitment. An 80-page white paper titled ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’ cites the exploitation and abuse of a Health and Care Worker visa pathway introduced in 2020 for driving an increase in ‘lower skilled’ migration. As a consequence, the Government has closed the social care visa pathway to new overseas applicants. During a transitional period until 2028, visa extensions and in-country switching will be permitted for individuals already in the UK with existing work rights. However, this arrangement will remain under review. This restriction, seen as a political response to recent election losses and anti-immigration sentiment by the Labour Government, has left the industry reeling. With over 130,000 vacancies in the UK social care workforce, providers have long relied on international staff. Low government funding – home care providers receive as little as £18 (AUD$37) to £22 (AUD$45) per hour despite needing £30 (AUD$62) – means many operators are now expected to hand back contracts, which will leave older people without care and hospitals overwhelmed.
22 April 2025
37% Fall in UK Student & Work Visa Applications!
A decrease in visa applications of students and foreign skilled workers is largely the effect of new UK immigration rules introduced to reduce net migration in the country. The number of migrants applying for UK visas has decreased by more than a third in the last year. According to the most recent British government data, in the fiscal year ending March 2025, 772,200 persons applied for visas in all major categories, a 37% decrease from nearly 1.24 million the previous year. This is largely the effect of new UK immigration rules introduced to reduce net migration in the country. In addition, fewer international students are opting for the UK as a study abroad destination. The recent data shows that applications from Sponsored study visa main applicants in the year ending March 2025 were 417,000, which is 11% lower than the year ending March 2024. Sponsored study visas follow strong seasonal patterns, peaking in August each year, ahead of the academic year, with a second smaller peak in December. The applications from dependants of students also showed a falling trend. There were 20,100 applications from dependants of students in the year ending March 2025, 86% fewer than the year ending December 2023. This followed the rule changes that came into effect in January 2024, which prevent students from bringing dependants, apart from those studying postgraduate research courses or courses with government-funded scholarships.
07 April 2025
European Visitors Need an Entry Permit to Visit UK !
European visitors to Britain must now purchase an electronic entry permit in advance for trips from 2 April 2025. The permit can be purchased online for £10 (12 euros) until April 9, when the price will rise to £16. The UK government follows other countries in seeking to strengthen immigration security by screening people before they cross its borders. Travellers from Europe will now need a digital Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) permit, which UK officials said they were rolling out to boost security and streamline entry processes. There will be a buffer period which could last several months. The permit can be bought online in the next few days for £10 (12 euros), but the price is rising swiftly from April 9 to £16. The ETA has already been introduced for American, Canadian and other visa-exempt nationals visiting the UK, which left the European Union in 2020.