Partnership Development Project of MENTER

This page is intended to share updates of any new law and policy relevant to immigrants.

• Identity Cards for Foreign nationals: The UKBA will start to issue identity cards to some foreign nationals from 25 November 2008 including those who apply for an extension of their stay in the United Kingdom as students or as the husbands, wives or partners of permanent residents. For more information, follow the link: http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/managingborders/idcardsforforeignnationals/
   
• UKBA has published in August 2008 the Statement of Intent for Students under Tier 4 of the new Points Based Immigration. An implementation plan will be produced sometime during Autumn 2008 and will go live from Spring 2009. For more information, see http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/managingourborders/pbsdocs/statementofintent/studentsunderthepointsbased.pdf
   
• The Migration Advisory Committee’s first report recommending shortage occupation lists for the United Kingdom and Scotland was published on 9 September 2008. More information and various reports are available on UKBA website. Follow: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingwithus/indbodies/mac/macfirstshortagelist/.
   
• The Draft Immigration Bill was published on 14 July 2008 and public views are sought before the final Bill is introduced. The draft Bill document and the questionnaire can be downloaded here. For an introduction to the Bill, see the document “Making Change Stick: An Introduction to the Immigration and Citizenship Bill” also available on the same webpage.
   
• The new immigration points-based system, introduced by UKBA on 29 February 2008: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/managingborders/managingmigration/apointsbasedsystem/
   
• New legislation for agency workers On 20 May 2008, the UK Government agreed a deal between unions and employers that will see agency workers in the UK receive equal treatment after 12 weeks employment. Equal treatment will be defined to mean at least the basic working and employment conditions that would apply to the workers concerned if they had been recruited  directly by that undertaking to occupy the same job. It will not cover occupational social security schemes. For more information:http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=368001&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=True
   
• Enforcing the deal June 2008: the UK Border Agency’s strategy to ensure and enforce compliance with UK immigration laws
   
• Preventing Illegal working – UKBA guidance booklet to employers on preventing illegal working) http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/employersandsponsors/preventingillegalworking/