Timeline
Today, the Home Office has relased its quarterly and annual statistics relating to those: coming to the UK, extending their stay, gaining citizenship, applying for asylum, and being detained or removed, as well as immigration for work, study and family reasons, including new visa routes where these are operational.
On this day the controversial Illegal Migration Bill became law, with the stated objective to deter irregular migration by deeming people's asylum claims a priori 'inadmissible' and by imposing a duty on the Home Secretary to arrange for the removal of people entering the UK irregularly.
On this day, the Home Office published new rules in matters of immigration, including restrictions on student visas and access to the EUSS and an expansion of the construction and fishing industry occupations included in the shortage occupation list.
On this day, the UK Court of Appeals ruled that the UK government's Rwanda policy on offshore asylum processing was unlawful.
On this day, the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement and the UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement come into force, expanding the Youth Mobility visa with regard to these countries. For example, the age range of those included in the scheme will - over time - increase from 18-30 to 18-35.
On this day the immigration statistics for year ending March 2023 are released, showing that ‘Europeans are almost not coming to the UK any more’.
On this day the new Innovator Founder visa route comes into force, replacing the Innovator and Start-up routes.
In March 2023, the UK government agreed to extend the skilled worker shortage list to workers in the construction sector, effective from summer 2023.
On this day the UK government announced its new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme for people coming into the UK without a visa.
This means that, from November 2023 onwards, nationals from Qatar will have to have an ETA to enter the UK, with more countryies expected to be added to the scheme in 2024.
On this day the UK govenrment introduced the controversial Illegal Migration Bill to the House of Commons.
Read more about Who is breaking the UK asylum system?
On this day the India Young Professionals Scheme visa is launched, which allows Indian citizens between 18 and 30 years of age to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years, and operates via a ballot system.
On this day the Office of National Statistics released its Quarterly Immigration Statistics.
Among other things, the statistics show a reduction in EU migration to the UK, and an increase in migration from elsewhere in the world. They also highlight a huge backlog in asylum processing.
MIGZEN co-investigators Michaela Benson and Nando Sigona reflect on some of the stories behind the statistics of migration to Global Britain.
On this day, the Council of Europe admits Croatia to the Schengen zone, meaning that border controls between other Schengen countries and Croatia will be lifted.
The UK and Switzerland agree to entend the Services Mobility Agreement until Dec 2025.
On this date the Home Office expands the BN(O) route to young people born on or after 1st July 1997.
Why some migrants are deemed more deserving than others in Global Britain
On this day the UK government's provision to allow employers to conduct right to work checks remotely comes to an end.
National Day of Mourning on the occasion of the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II, on 8 September, 2022.
Priti Patel, who has spearheaded the sweeping changes to UK immigration and nationality policy resigns as Home Secretary, and is replaces by Suella Braverman.
On this day the Scale-up visa opens up, which introduces more flexible sponsorship opportunities for businesses to employ highly skilled migrants for short periods.
On this day the UK government abolishes (with immediate effect) the requirement for certain foreign nationals to register with local police.
On this day the Appendix Settlement Family Life comes into force, changing rules around counting periods of leave.
This date marks the publication of New Plan for Immigration: Legal Migration and Border Control Strategy, a policy paper that introduces a number of changes to immigration policy and procedures, including plans for digitisation and regulation of entry and exit, eGates, eVisas
Provisions made in the NABB come into force, introducing e.g. two-tiered refugee status, and streamlining removals to third countries. But it also opens new ways for obtaining British citizenship through ancestry, with implications for e.g. Chagossians.
Council of Europe approves legislation that increases refugee monitoring/surveillance and screening at borders, as part of effort to reform EU migration and asylum policy.
From this day the government will stop penalising families who have applied to have their NRPF condition removed from their visa, by placing them on the 10-year route to settlement.
On this date the new High Potential Individual visa is launched, which allows graduated from a list of so-called top ranked non-UK universities to work for 2 years in the UK.
From this date onwars, children will be able to apply for citizenship fee waiver, if they can prove that it would be unaffordable.
On this day the Home Office launches it's Ukraine Visa Extension Scheme, which allows Ukrainians already in the UK to extend their stay lawfully.
On this date the controversial Nationality and Borders bill receives royal assent, set to make sweeping changes to the UK asylum system, and immigration law.
How the controversial nationality and borders bill may help people from Chagos Islands and Hong Kong
On this date the Elections Bill bill receives royal assent, which has significant implications for who can vote and how,for example, through introducing voter ID laws, and extending the vote overseas.
This marks the date on which the UK government's Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda is announced, which creates the possibility for 'offshoring' asylum seekers in the UK to Rwanda.
Read more about the implications of the deal here.
The Global Business Mobility visa comes into force, which includes the new UK Expansion Worker scheme, replacing the Sole Representative visa.
Ornamental horicultural workers are added to the shortage occupation list for the Skilled Worker visa, in an extension to the temporary seasonal worker scheme.
These changes relate to the granting of extensions to those on the Innovator visa route, and to the documentary evidence required by applicants to the Global Talent visa scheme.
Removal of the right to use a biometric residence permit or card as proof of immigration status.
Report by MIGZEN partners The3Million on the challenges of maintaining a digital status.
On this day the new concession for Lounes dual nationals takes effect, which allows them to sponsor relevant family members under the EUSS and the EUSS family permit.
On this day the Council of Europe adopts legislation to make EUR17 billion of EU Cohesion Policy funds available to help refugees from Ukraine.
Our partner organisation British in Europe closed their doors, after 5 years of fighting for the rights of British citizens living in the EU.
EU citizenship and transnational political mobilisation after Brexit
This marks the formal deadline of the Surinder Singh route, which allows UK citizens to return to the UK with their non-British family members. From this date on, extensions are only granted on 'reasonable grounds'.
This scheme allows Ukrainians to come to the UK for up to 3 years if they have a UK sponsor.
On this date the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Order comes into force, which increases the maximum fee that the Home Office can charge for visas.
This marks the date on which the EU established a temporary protection directive for Ukrainian refugees and third country nationals who had been living in Ukraine on humanitarian grounds.
This scheme allows Ukrainian citizens to join family in the UK, where they receive a 3-year visa.
UK government's response to this refugee crisis is too little, too confused, too slow
The home office closes the Tier 1 Investor Visa route over security and corruption concerns.
Frontline carers are added to the shortage occupation list for the Skilled Worker visa, in an extension to the temporary seasonal worker scheme.
The new EU asylum agency starts its work on this date.
This date marks the opening of the UK government's ACRS scheme to resettle Afghan refugees, currently restricted to pathway 1): the most vulnerable and at-risk, incl. those who had supported who "supported the UK and international community effort in Afghanistan".
This date marks the introduction of a new Appendix Youth Mobility Scheme, replacing the T5 Temporary Worker route. It is open to people aged 18-30 from select countries only.
This was introduced as a (temporary) measure to address post-Brexit shortages for poultry workers, butchers and HGV drivers delivering food.
On this date the Council of Europe adopts new rules on the EU Blue Card, which allows highly qualified workers to enter and settle the EU.
This deadline marked the end of the grace period where the rights under EU law of EU citizens living in the UK and British citizens living in Latvia and Malta were protected. To secure their future status, they were expected to apply for a new post-Brexit status testifying that they had lawfully exercised Freedom of Movement.
British citizens in the EU the other side of the citizens rights coin
Memorandum of understading re: migration and mobility partnership between UK and India.
As part of a set of measures put in place by the UK Government in consequence of their judgement that the 'One Country, Two Systems' solution laid out in the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the future of Hong Kong had been breached, this bespoke visa scheme was launched to facilitate the entry and settlement in the UK of those holding BN(O) status and their dependents.
In line with the end of the Brexit transition period, this bill officially repealed EU law on Free Movement into the UK and paved the way for the UK's new points-based immigration system.