Immigration news

A leading UK investment organisation has issued a report which recommends that the UK immigration authorities introduce changes to its Tier 1 (high value migrants) visa regime in order to help kick-start the UK economy. UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph reported on 11th February 2013 that The British Venture Capital Association (BVCA) has issued a list of five 'quick-fix proposals' to help the UK economy recover without having to spend too much money on stimulating the economy.

We would like to draw your attention to several recent changes to the rules governing the grant of Tier 2 visas by the UK government. The rules were introduced on December 13th 2012.

Perhaps the change that will affect the most people is a new rule allowing skilled workers who hold Tier 2 visas to travel abroad, whether for work or pleasure, for up to 180 days per year without compromising their right to apply to the UK Border Agency (UKBA) for indefinite leave to remain at a later date.

The leader of the UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage made a speech in the European Parliament on 6th February 2013 saying that, if the UK cannot negotiate further restrictions on the movement of Romanian and Bulgarian workers to the UK, it will leave the European Union. Mr Farage said 'I have nothing against Romanians or Bulgarians but it is unacceptable that we should open our doors to them unconditionally from 1st January next year.'

The leader of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives, the junior chamber of the US Congress, has said that he will support a change to the law that would, in time, allow some illegal immigrants to become US citizens.

A recent report from the National Foundation for American Policy, a pro-immigration think tank based in Arlington, Virginia, has found that the US immigration system is putting obstacles in the way of foreign medical professionals who want to work in the US. This, the report says, is unwise because the US population is ageing and has an increasing need for medical services. The report recommends reforms to the system that would make it easier for foreign health professionals to work in the US.

Latest figures show UK most popular EU immigration destination

New figures from the European Union show that the UK was the most popular destination for migrants in Europe in 2010.

The 2010 figures have just been released by the EU's statistics agency Eurostat. They show that 591,000 immigrants came to the UK. The top four destinations were

1. UK 591,0002. Spain 465,2003. Italy 458,9004. Germany 404,100

These countries took about 60% of the total of immigrants coming to the 27 nation EU.