Amongst the changes are updates to the EU Settlement Scheme, the Ukraine Extension Scheme, Student route and the Skilled Worker route, following the recommendations presented by Migration Advisory Committee (MAC).
Student changes – effective immediately
An immediate change applies to foreign nationals residing in the UK on a student visa who wish to switch status in country to sponsored employment under the Skilled Worker routes.
Students switching to work visas must wait until they have successfully completed their studies, or alternatively provide confirmation to the Home Office of their course completion date. The course completion date must be before their work start date on their new Certificate of Sponsorship.
Where someone is studying towards a PhD in the UK, the rules previously allowed them to switch to a work visa after 12 months on their course. This has now been amended to having to complete 24 months of the course prior to making their application.
Finally, there is no longer any route for international students to bring their family to the UK with them on dependent visas, unless they are completing a research-based post-graduate course. Dependents already in the UK can extend their stay, and international students on taught post-graduate courses that begin before 1 January 2024 can still apply to bring their dependents with them.
The changes to the EU Settlement Scheme, the Ukraine Extension Scheme, and the Skilled Worker route, following the recommendations presented by Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), take effect from 7 August. Details will shortly be posted to the Magrath Sheldrick website.
Please contact your Magrath Sheldrick representative for further guidance.