At a Glance
The UK government has changed the rules surrounding immigration in a new statement. Key changes include:
- The Department of State has announced several updates to Global Business Mobility routes, including a revision that will allow permanent residents in New Zealand and Australia to access this route through a free trade agreement.
- The UK has announced that they will be updating their policies regarding foreign students. This will allow British Overseas Territory foreign students to apply for a student visa without proof of English fluency, which was previously required.
- In this update, the UK government has announced that citizens of Colombia, Peru and Guyana will no longer be required to apply for pre-travel authorisation when entering the country.
The Situation
The UK government has just published a new Statement of Changes, which includes most changes related to the Global Business mobility route and some other minor amendments.
A Closer Look
| Change | Details | Impact |
| Expanded Eligibility under the Service Supplier Sub-Route of the Global Business Mobility Route | => It is possible for permanent residents in New Zealand to become a service supplier if their services meet the qualifications of free trade agreements with other countries. => Under the Service Supplier route, if you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident of this country then through free trade agreement you can stay in the UK for up to 12 Months at a time. => The new route is intended for overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK, where they either supply services as part of an international trade commitment or have become self-employed professionals based outside of the UK. They need to have an assignment in the UK, which will allow them to provide services covered by one of the UK’s international trade commitments. | The Immigration Department has confirmed that permanent residents of New Zealand and Australia can apply for the Service Supplier route. All you need to do is meet some other eligibility criteria. |
| British Overseas Territories have been Added to the Majority English Speaking Country List | The good news for citizens of British Overseas Territories, including the countries listed here, is that when applying for a student visa they no longer need proof of English fluency. | To help with the process of applying for a student visa, eligible foreign nationals should get benefit from shorter document preparation time. |
| New Visa Waiver | Guyana, Colombia and Peru are three countries that have been granted a new visa waiver in the United Kingdom for business or tourism for up to 180 days in a time period of 360 days. These individuals will still need to limit their duration of stay and activities within UK borders accordingly. | Eligible citizens will no longer need to apply for pre-travel authorization to enter the UK, which should save resources and quite some time on eligible trips. |
Other, less relevant, changes are discussed here.
Background
UK Immigration rules are constantly being changed throughout the year, through Statements of Changes. These documents list all amendments that will be incorporated into updated versions on designated implementation dates.
Looking Ahead
The UK government has announced that they will release detailed guidance on the above as well other rulings. UK VISA GO will report any relevant developments to you as soon as they are out!
