Free Movement

Barry returns and joins Sonia to run you through November on Free Movement. It was statistics galore for Sonia who covered the latest immigration, asylum and trafficking figures. A surprise statement of changes contained bad news for Colombians and Ukrainians. Barry was a really big fan of Colin's review of the latest Paddington movie and enthusiastically endorsed Alex Piletska's suggestion that the referee requirement for citizenship applications is scrapped. There were also several cases covered, including a detailed explanation from Sonia of the implications of the latest challenge to the no recourse to public funds policy. Full details of all the posts we covered can be found below. The 50 minute podcast follows the running order below: General immigration (00:40) Statistics for July to September 2024 show health and care worker and student numbers continuing to fall Safe options for Ukrainians and Colombians coming to the UK shut down in latest statement of changes   Asylum (03:50) Appeals lodged in the First-tier Tribunal up 53% and continued “significant increase” of asylum appeals expected States cannot refuse asylum claims by LGBTQI+ people based on the ‘discretion test’ alone Trafficking referrals and decisions at record high in latest statistics Unlawfully withdrawn asylum claim results in quashing of trafficking reconsideration refusal Regulation (14:10) OISC adviser who worked beyond his authorisation loses appeal against cancellation of registration Law Society reaccreditation exam: how to prepare and what to expect   EUSS (19:50) Lack of appeal against rejection of late EUSS applications does not breach Withdrawal Agreement Independent Monitoring Authority asks Home Office for clarity on border issues for those with pending EUSS applications EEA national appellant in prison on 31 December 2020 deemed not to be exercising treaty rights   Nationality (28:00) An immigration lawyer reviews Paddington in Peru: A very British bear “But I don’t know any barristers” – the case for scrapping the referee requirement for citizenship applications   Work routes (34:00) Court of Appeal dismisses challenge to employer penalty notice   Detention (37:10) Inspection report concludes that Brook House is less safe than two years ago   Deportation (38:25) Court of Appeal gives further guidance on assessing seriousness of an offence in deportation cases   Human rights (42:30) High Court finds no lawful system in place for expediting change of conditions applications   Updates (47:30) General grounds for refusal: understanding re-entry bans A guide to right to work checks How to apply for a skilled worker visa Will I need Electronic Travel Authorisation to enter the UK? Briefing: how to apply for a high potential individual visa Can asylum seekers work while waiting for a decision on their case?

Colin's back! But for how long? All is revealed in our October roundup podcast. Plus Sonia and Colin discuss hot topics such as the new practice direction for appeals in the First-tier Tribunal, appeals backlogs, issues in asylum interviews and reaccreditation for the Law Society's immigration and asylum scheme. We also cover the latest Supreme Court decision on the best interests of children, a case involving some serious administrative failings at the Court of Appeal, climate change and refugees and the latest inspection report from the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration. On work routes we cover posts explaining which routes can lead to settlement, the latest round of litigation on care home sponsor licence revocation and whether the skilled worker pay thresholds create an equal pay issue. All this and much more (and no politics!). The 38 minute podcast follows the running order below: Procedure (01:30) New Practice Direction of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal issued Court of Appeal apologises and grants four year extension of time after administrative failings Administrative Court reminds practitioners of the need for an application when seeking to rely on expert evidence When can someone be refused a passport because of their name? Supreme Court says that statutory duty regarding children does not apply to the First-tier Tribunal Law Society immigration reaccreditation scheme: how does it work and how can we help?   Asylum (11:40) Asylum appeal backlog rises to 33,000 cases, likely to rise further Asylum interviews: what can go wrong and what can you do about it? Advancing legal rights in the context of climate and disaster displacement How child relatives of refugees can apply to enter or remain in the UK Asylum delay challenge dismissed by High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland Inspection of asylum accommodation reiterates need for the Home Office to listen to others Spain ordered to pay compensation for failures in trafficking case   Deportation (23:30) Can a European national be deported on ‘imperative grounds of public security’ based solely on the barbarity of their crime?   Work routes (25:40) How to use the creative worker visa concession Care home operator’s sponsor licence revoked for supplying sponsored workers to third parties Which work visa routes lead to settlement? What are the immigration dimensions to the new Employment Rights Bill? Do the skilled worker salary threshold increases create an equal pay issue for employers?   EU Settlement Scheme (33:00) EU Settlement Scheme: curtailment of pre-settled status after no longer meeting the rules   Family (34:40) Ensuring confidentiality and safety in overseas immigration applications based on same sex relationships   Updates (36:15) Youth Mobility visa: what is it and how does it work? Briefing: applications for adult dependent relatives How to apply for leave to remain as a bereaved partner

In this episode of the podcast Barry does everyone a big favour by taking us through the autumn statement of changes in detail. Sonia and Barry also have a bit of a call to arms on discretionary grants of indefinite leave to remain and tackling the ten year route. The importance of scrutinising country policy and information notes in asylum claims is covered over a few different articles. Barry goes through the minefield of travelling with leave under Appendix EUSS or a pending application, as well as the additional powers given to Border Force officials to cancel leave granted under Appendix EUSS at the border. Sonia really really doesn't want people to abuse the fee waiver process. We also cover Windrush and freedom of information requests, a successful Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) judicial review, the latest on biometric residence permits and eVisas, and more. We finish up with a look at the recent legal aid challenge and what the next steps look like there. The hour long podcast follows the running order below: General immigration (00:30) Statement of changes HC 217: fee waivers for bereaved partners, visa regime imposed on Jordan Home Office confirms error in immigration rules and directs skilled worker sponsors to updated guidance   Asylum (10:30) A troubling new approach to Afghan asylum claims Inspection of Home Office’s country guidance on Rwanda includes concerns about methodology and omission of evidence Concerns raised about Home Office use of country information in new report on LGBTQI+ people in Georgia   Detention (20:14) Significant damages for victim of abuse at Brook House   Human rights (21:35) Nelson Shardey and the ten year route to settlement: running an effective legal challenge and campaign   Sponsored migration (28:00) ‘New entrants’ salary discounts for the skilled worker route: who can benefit and how well does it work Challenge to refusal of Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) extension succeeds due to Home Office errors International recruitment and skills shortages: what can we expect from the Migration Advisory Committee’s review?   EU Settlement Scheme (34:55) Upper Tribunal provides guidance on the deportation of EU nationals for post-Brexit conduct Travelling to the UK with (and without) status under the EU Settlement Scheme   Procedure (42:55) The risks of making a fee waiver application for the purpose of “buying time” to make a different application General grounds for refusal: alleged deception, false information and innocent mistakes Tribunal forces Home Office to publish report on the racism that underpinned the Windrush scandal Report published on “The Historical Roots of the Windrush Scandal”   eVisas (49:15) How to make a “no time limit” application Lost or stolen biometric residence permits will no longer be replaced   Updated (50:30) What happens when biometric residence permits expire in December 2024? How to apply for a visa as the parent of a child in the UK Pursuing compensation from the Home Office Briefing: what is section 3C leave? How to become a level 1 OISC adviser in immigration law   Good news! (53:10) Lord Chancellor settles challenge to immigration and asylum legal aid rates

Barry joins Sonia again this month to look back at what happened in August. We cover the latest statistics on asylum, immigration and trafficking. There are a couple of cases relating to asylum family reunion, as well as a policy change for those separated during Operation Pitting. Other cases covered included deprivation of citizenship, an unsuccessful challenge to legal aid provision for young people and a successful challenge by Bail for Immigration Detainees in a freedom of information challenge. We also discuss updates on a couple of reports from the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the latest on what is happening with Tech Nation. The 43 minute podcast follows the running order below:   Asylum (00:55) Latest statistics show little movement on the asylum backlog, drop in students and health and care workers Positive decisions by immigration authority remain very low in latest trafficking statistics Unsuccessful challenge to lack of legal aid for asylum interviews Appeal against grant of limited bail on Diego Garcia dismissed No discrimination found against Afghan man blocked from Ukraine schemes Tribunal orders Home Office to disclose information on emergency travel documents for Somalia and Eritrea New country of origin information on children and young people from Sudan Home Office finally announces separated families route for Afghan evacuated families How to prepare suicide risk cases   General immigration (22:40) A step by step guide to applying for an eVisa Solicitors Regulation Authority publishes reviews of training records and asylum legal services   Family (29:15) Upper Tribunal says that article 8 rights of overseas family members must be considered   Work routes (33:25) A route of last resort: two years of the UK Expansion Worker visa The latest on Tech Nation and the Global Talent route   Nationality (35:40) Court of Appeal dismisses appeal against deprivation of citizenship   Updated (38:25) Leave to remain application date: how to calculate it and why it is important How to apply for a UK Ancestry visa How much does it cost to sponsor someone for a UK work visa? Briefing: what is leave outside the rules? Will I need Electronic Travel Authorisation to enter the UK?