Kingsley Napley partner Katie Newbury provides an indispensable guide to the year ahead in business immigration law, in this week’s NLJ
Newbury casts a brief glance back to 2023 before setting out the key changes in the pipeline in 2024. She covers skilled workers, Electronic Travel Authorisation, the EU Settlement Scheme, and more.
Fee increases are substantial, as Newbury highlights: ‘To put the new fees in context, the total fee for a five-year Skilled Worker visa for a main applicant, partner and two children all applying together outside the UK with priority service and a standard sponsor (not a small company or charity) is now £23,859. After the imminent immigration health surcharge increases it will be an even more eyewatering £31,029.’
The changes could spell difficulties for employers in many sectors. Newbury writes: ‘While the government’s plans will likely reduce migration, it is not clear what analysis has been done on the impact to a struggling health and care sector and on employers desperate to fill skills gaps.’
