IMMIGRATION NEWS WEEKLY ROUNDUP - 16th December 2022

We end this week with the tragic news about the channel migrants who were victims of unfortunate circumstances and lost their lives during the dangerous journey undertaken to find a safe abode in the UK. Our thoughts and wishes with those int the boat and the family members who lost their loved ones.?

The Government has issued a statement in this respect, which we have covered in our newsletter.

With no updates to report for any revisions made to the Policy Documents or reported cases for UK immigration last week, it seems as if the Home Office has already geared up for the holiday season.?

However, the statement issued by our PM, Mr Sunak gives us warning of major developments that lie ahead in the new year. The Government is not going to slow down in its attempt to tackle illegal migration and there will be strict checking and raids on businesses to investigate illegal working.?

We will be announcing our dates for Sponsor Licences, Home Office audit compliance and various Business Immigration sessions to assist advisors in tackling such challenges which may lie ahead – so??watch this space and further announcements.

Immigration advisors are also now under strict scrutiny with the SRA taking a non-tolerant approach with complaints about negligence and wrongful advice dispensed. SRA has actively started intervening for shut down of firms.?

Last week we reported the announcement from Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) that they have updated their Guidance specifically for firms practicing immigration and asylum. There have been great concerns regarding best practices and quality of advice dispensed towards vulnerable migrants. In an ever-changing political climate that has hit the UK hard since the pandemic, there has been a significant impact on the Rules.??This had led to one of the prime concerns of SRA, as a regulator for law firms, that all immigration advisors should be thoroughly updated on revisions and developments to the Rules, so that they are able to advocate in best interest of their clients.??This further means that stricter scrutiny will be applied by the SRA when conducting audit checks to investigate that immigration advisors are fully updated with evidence of their CPD activity through acclaimed training providers.?

SRA has recently published a new Guidance following a review of circumstances of law firms practicing Immigration and Asylum. The review is based on firms’ quality of service, quality of supervision of those engaged in services?(see the Guidance here )??and complaints of misconducts.?

To read the review, click here?

To download the Guidance, click here?

HJT Training is an acclaimed provider for immigration training for all legal regulators, i.e.; SRA, OISC and BSB.??For almost two decades, our most sought product, Mastering Immigration Law has served as the most reliable resource for many immigration advisors. With the most updated information, explanation on correct application of Rules, Case law precedence, Policy documents and CPD activity covered through online resources, practitioners are assured they are fully abreast with the on going developments and also meeting regulators compliance. Mark Symes works tirelessly in providing the most up to date resource available on the market.

To know more watch our video here?

NEWS

Early removal scheme for foreign offenders: caseworker guidance updated on 15th December 2022.

The Home Office has revised its protocol of Guidance for its caseworkers to expedite removals of the foreign offenders. To read the full Guidance, click here

Asylum tribunal capacity extended in bid to tackle backlog of 25,000 cases – Evening Standard

The government hopes that by allowing judges in the Immigration and?Asylum?Chamber to hear more cases over the next three months, further progress can be made on the 25,000 cases currently in the system.

Tackling the backlog is seen as an “important part of the government’s effort to tackle illegal immigration”, Immigration Minister?Robert Jenrick?said on Thursday. To read the full article, click here?

UK and France joint statement on small boat incident in the Channel

A joint statement by the Home Secretary of the UK,??Suella Braverman, and the Minister of Interior and Overseas territories of France, Gérald Darmanin. To read the full statement, click here?

Rishi Sunak promises new laws to stop illegal migration and 'spurious' appeals – SKY News?

Rishi Sunak has promised to bring in new laws to tackle illegal immigration, saying anyone who comes to the UK illegally will not be allowed to stay. To read the full article, click here?

Revealed: UK police and Home Office ran immigration raids on care homes during Covid-19 – New Statesman

New data has revealed that raids carried out by immigration officials are not only cruel, but often ineffective.?To read the full article, click here?

UNHCR expresses concern over Home Secretary-backed asylum report – The Justice Gap

A?report?partially backed by the UK Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, was a cause of deep concern for?UNHCR?office yesterday. The report, published by the Centre for Policy Studies (‘CPS’), endorsed a ‘radical crackdown’ on refugee asylum seekers, which the UNHCR has strongly criticized as having many “factual and legal errors.” Braverman wrote the foreword to the report, describing the study as a ‘vital and?necessary contribution to the policy debate about what can be done to tackle the crossings’. To read the full article, click here?

Home Office in ‘chaos’ as new Borders Act ‘made the system worse’ Labour says – Evening Standard

The?Home Office?is in “chaos” amid a backlog of?asylum?cases which has been made worse by the Borders Act introduced earlier this year, the shadow home secretary has claimed.?Yvette Cooper?said on Friday that the “huge backlog” in cases has led to “inappropriate” use of hotels costing taxpayers millions of pounds a day.