Key Updates in UK Immigration Laws in July 2023
Did you know that in a bid to raise funds for public sector pay-rises, the government of UK has made an increase in UK visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). Work and visit visa fees are set to rise by 15%, whereas other visa types which includes Certificates of Sponsorship, and settlement and citizenship applications will be getting a 20% rise. The shocking thing to note here is that IHS will see a substantial 66% increase.
Changes to Student Visa Route
UK Government have launched meaningful modifications to the Student visa rules. Sadly, students can no longer switch to sponsored work visa in the UK unless they have completed their degree. This Student visa rule modification is likely to affect international students studying at degree level or above.
New Occupations Added to Shortage List
The Government of UK has included many construction jobs to the UK’s Shortage Occupation List (SOL) and the Skilled Worker visa route. Please keep in mind that this move is intended to entice skilled workers to fill vacancies in segments where demand surpasses the availability of workers.
Updates to UKVCAS Systems
Did you know that there were modifications to the UKVCAS document uploading system and it will come into effect very soon? Luckily the new version will have a bulk upload option as well which will allow up to 20 files to be uploaded that too all at once. Sadly, free Saturday appointments will no longer be accessible, with slots being reallocated throughout the working week.
This is the end of today’s blog update. Don’t forget to comment below and share your thoughts on changes announced by the UK Government.
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