DavidsonMorris

The UK Government annually reviews minimum wage rates, relying on recommendations from the Low Pay Commission (LPC), an independent body that evaluates factors such as the cost of living, business impacts, and economic conditions.

Many UK employers rely on overseas recruitment to fill skills gaps and meet business needs.

2024 has brought substantial reforms to the UK immigration system, with key updates affecting various UK visa categories and legal requirements.

Flexible working is a way of arranging working hours to suit an employee’s needs in a manner that is acceptable to the employer and appropriate to both the role in question and the business.

The use of non disclosure agreements, or confidentiality clauses as they are also commonly known, can be both a highly complex and highly sensitive topic, not least where allegations of misuse as a means of covering up workplace harassment and unlawful discrimination have been rife in the media.

When an employer wishes to recruit workers from outside the EEA through Tier 2 or Tier 5 sponsorship, they are legally required by the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to carry out the Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT).

If you are negotiating a settlement agreement with your employer, it will be important to understand the tax rules that apply to any payment you may receive.

UK Spouse Visa Application Requirements The UK Spouse Visa permits holders to come to the UK to live with their partner for up to two and a half years. The UK Spouse Visa application process can however be complex and the Home Office has introduced more rigorous requirements in recent years which visa applicants will need to be aware of when making their application.

Gross misconduct is an act or behaviour sufficiently serious to lead to dismissal without notice or payment in lieu of notice (PILON). Given the severe implications of gross misconduct, it will be important for employers to ensure they acting fairly, lawfully and consistently in taking disciplinary action against an employee for gross misconduct.

Brexit has left non-EEA investors looking for alternatives to the UK to gain European residence and access to the European single market. Through the Irish Investor Programme, the Irish government offers residency in Ireland in exchange for approved investment in the country’s economy with the potential to lead to Irish citizenship.

Tier 2 of the points based system is the primary immigration route for skilled foreign workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland seeking permission to work in the UK. There are various sub-categories under Tier 2 of the points based system, including the Tier 2 (General) visa and the Tier 2 Intra Company Transfer (ICT) visa.

The deadline of 31st October 2019 to agree a Brexit deal is fast approaching, leaving employers less time for critical Brexit recruitment planning. As we near the Brexit deadline, the prospect of a No Deal exit seems more likely than ever.

What are the immigration options for Tier 4 visa students to stay in the UK after they graduate?

Under the UK Tier 1 scheme for high value migrants, the Entrepreneur visa was designed to entice foreign entrepreneurial talent and investment to Britain.

For EEA nationals and their family members, making an application to the Home Office isn;t always straight forward. The first step will be to identify the relevant EEA form for the type of application you want to make. 

Permanent residence status is automatically available to European Economic Area (EEA) nationals who have lived in the UK for five continuous years and who have been exercising Treaty Rights over the whole of this period. The same criteria also apply to family members of EEA nationals.

The UK Tier 1 visa route permits qualifying individuals from outside the EEA to come to the UK to start-up a business or invest in the UK.

If you are planning to spend time in the US on business, there are many different types of US visa you will need to consider. 

All UK employers are required by law to complete adequate Right to Work document checks for every employee - meaning every UK employer is at risk of Home Office civil penalty for illegal employment, should they be found to have failed in their duties.

Hiring skilled talent from overseas has become business-critical in many UK sectors, where the domestic and - until Brexit at least - EU labour market is unable to satisfy recruitment needs.