Immigration

The Government is reviewing its policy on restricting asylum seekers' rights to work. The current position is that people seeking asylum can only apply for permission to work if they have been waiting for an initial decision on their asylum claim for over 12 months. Those who are given permission can only do skilled jobs on the Shortage Occupation List.

Efforts by the Home Office to remedy the injustices suffered by people caught up in the Windrush scandal are ongoing. The Windrush compensation scheme is operational, and legislation underpinning the scheme received Royal Assent in June 2020. But some stakeholders remain dissatisfied with aspects of the Home Office's response to the scandal, for example citing ongoing delays in processing cases and applications for compensation.

On Thursday 25 June 2020, there will be a debate in the House of Commons on a number of e-petitions relating to the recognition and reward of health and social care workers. The subject for the debate was determined by the Petitions Committee. Its Chair, Catherine McKinnell MP, will open the debate. Below are the associated e-petitions submitted to the Petitions Committee, relevant Committee proceedings and Library and other briefings on the health and social care sector. The motion for debate is: That this House has considered e-Petitions relating to the recognition and reward of health and social care workers

Most non-EEA nationals applying for temporary leave to remain in the UK must pay an 'Immigration Health Surcharge' (IHS) to the Home Office, in addition to the immigration application fee. The Government has a manifesto commitment to increase the charge and extend it to EEA nationals after the Brexit transition period. The charge, and the proposed increases, have generated some controversy, particularly against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. Following a recent change of policy, the Government now intends to exempt NHS and care workers from the IHS in the future, although it has not yet confirmed when this will take effect.

Over 67,000 NHS staff in England are EU nationals - 5.5% of all staff. Overall, 13.8% of NHS staff say that their nationality is not British. Facts and figures on the nationality of NHS staff for doctors, nurses and other groups, and changes since the Brexit vote.

The tables in this paper provide a summary of the UK and EU positions in the future relationship negotiations, based on their proposed draft treaty texts and other publicly available statements

This Insight explains how migration statistics are transforming and the implications of this change.

This paper provides an update on the first three rounds of negotiations on the future UK-EU relationship and analysis of the draft new partnership treaty tabled by the EU in March 2020

This briefing provides an overview of the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill 2019-21, in advance of its Second Reading debate.

In February, the Government published a policy statement on the new points-based system for immigration. The new system is due to take effect in January 2021, when EU free movement law has ceased to apply in the UK. Some of the Government's plans are similar to proposals in the May Government’s December 2018 immigration white paper, and recommendations made by the independent Migration Advisory Committee. But some of the ideas in the policy statement differ to both of those.

This briefing summarises who is subject to the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) visa condition and how it is applied. It also identifies what state support and concessions might be available for migrants with NRPF during the coronavirus crisis. It does not cover migrants’ entitlements to NHS healthcare, or the position of European Economic Area nationals.

EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) created two new statuses for EU, EEA and Swiss nationals living in the UK. These are Settled Status and Pre-Settled Status. This Insight examines the existing data regarding applications under the scheme.

The UK's Immigration Rules allow for refugees to be joined in the UK by immediate family members in certain circumstances. Provisions in EU law (the Dublin III Regulation) can also be used to reunite families separated across the EU/UK. The Regulations will cease to apply in the UK after the Brexit 'transition period'. This has given extra impetus to pre-existing calls to widen the scope of the UK's rules.

The Windrush Compensation Scheme (Expenditure) Bill 2019-20 is due to have its Committee and remaining stages in the Commons on 24 March.

This briefing papers looks at the UK's refugee resettlement schemes which are operated in partnership with the UNHCR. It also looks at the future of refugee resettlement in the UK.