News and Insights

Welcome to our News and Insights section. Here we’ll talk about the latest legal developments with our articles and videos. You can browse or search by practice area or sector. We’ll also let you know about changes at our firm including the expansion into new practice areas, sectors and locations.



Topic

Type



Changes to sponsor guidance

Sponsorship guidance was updated in April 2023. Many of the changes implement new Immigration Rules introduced the same month....


News | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 9 May 2023



Directors Duties and Insolvency in the Construction Industry

This is the second article in a series of articles looking at insolvency in the construction industry. This article focuses on directors’ duties...


News | Construction, Engineering & Projects | Immigration & Global Mobility | Insolvency & Restructuring
Posted: 11 Apr 2023



New Immigration Rules on pre-travel authorisation for visitors, higher salary requirements and more

Pre-travel authorisation for visitors What is it? An ‘Electronic Travel Authorisation’ (ETA) is an authorisation to travel...


News | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 5 Apr 2023



Suzanne Brooker turns her attention to the Construction sector to outline the current challenges and some tips

This is the first in a series of articles focussed on this competitive and challenging sector.   In 2021 2,579 construction sector firms be...


News | Construction, Engineering & Projects | Immigration & Global Mobility | Insolvency & Restructuring
Posted: 29 Mar 2023



HR Zone features Samar Shams article on changes to the Employer's guide to right to work checks

Changes to the ‘Employer’s guide to right to work checks’ published on 28 February 2023 affect right to work checks using...


Press | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 17 Mar 2023



Webinar - UK Visit Visa rules for business 2023

Immigration and Global Mobility Partner Samar Shams hosted an informative webinar explaining all that companies and individuals...


Webinar | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 10 Mar 2023



Early termination of Skilled Workers

What happens when a Skilled Worker is made redundant?  In her latest video, Immigration and Global Mobility Partner Samar...


News | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 16 Jan 2023



Samar Shams featured in Employment Law Journal on right-to-work checks and balances

Covid-19 meant adjusted processes for right-to-work checks and these are now coming to an end.  Checking digital copies of...


Press | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 10 Oct 2022



Health and Care Visas - It's all in the process

In her article in Care Home Management Magazine, Immigration and Global Mobility Partner Samar Shams discusses how the Health...


Press | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 5 Sep 2022



The Scale-Up Visa

What makes the Scale-Up visa a better choice over the Skilled Worker Route? In this helpful video, Immigration and Global...


Video | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 1 Sep 2022



The High Potential Individual visa

The High Potential Individual visa (HPI) has been available for a couple of months now. We thought it worth sharing some tips...


Video | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 11 Aug 2022



Skills shortage: How to hire immigrants post-Brexit

The shortage of skilled workers is a major issue for construction businesses. With the UK’s departure from the EU and the end...


Press | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 24 Jun 2022



Immigration: In with the old

In this article, Immigration and Global Mobility Partner Samar Shams discusses how the government’s 2022 immigration changes...


Press | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 9 Jun 2022



New right to work check processes

Is your organisation ready for the changes to right to work checking? Immigration and Global Mobility expert Samar Shams...


Webinar | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 3 May 2022



Set up in the UK with a Skilled Worker visa

Please note that the information provided below should not be taken as legal advice. Please contact Samar Shams, Partner –...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 31 Mar 2022



The Rule is Change: New Immigration Rules published 15 March 2022

In this article, Immigration and Global Mobility Partner Samar Shams explains the main upcoming changes to Immigration Rules...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 16 Mar 2022



Sponsor duties: It’s all fun and games until someone loses the right to work

Sponsoring non-UK nationals to work in the UK is popular as UK businesses compete for talent. Immigration and Global Mobility...


Webinar | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 14 Mar 2022



Prepare your organisation for changes to right to work checks

This article was published on 17 February 2022 and updated on 14 March 2022. A number of changes to right to work checks will...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 14 Mar 2022



Samar Shams offers advice to French speakers interested in UK visas

French speakers interested in UK visas will appreciate Immigration and Global Mobility Partner Samar Shams’s contributions to...


Press | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 14 Feb 2022



Samar Shams writes for People Management on labour shortages and immigration

The UK’s labour shortages were a major issue in 2021, affecting employers across many sectors. The shortages were caused by...


Press | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 10 Feb 2022



Carers finally included in Health and Care visa route

From 15 February 2022, care workers and home carers will be eligible for sponsorship. The Government is expanding the Health...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 31 Jan 2022



Now that the RLMT is not required

Sponsors of Skilled Workers were dancing in the streets when the requirement to advertise roles was abolished. Now that the...


News | Video | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 9 Dec 2021



Samar Shams’ article on labour shortages featured in International Employment Lawyer

Businesses across many sectors are suffering from a shortage of workers, due to Brexit, Covid-19 and other factors. Spencer...


Press | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 2 Dec 2021



Overview of the process of applying for a sponsor licence

If your organisation is having trouble filling a vacancy, consider sponsoring a non-UK national to work. In this video,...


News | Video | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 11 Nov 2021



Ex-employees’ business travel to the UK

Many UK organisations have accommodated employees’ requests to work from abroad by moving them to contractor arrangements. In...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 1 Nov 2021



Migration Advisory Committee recommends changes to the Intra-company Transfer visa route

This article was written by Samar Shams, Immigration and Global Mobility Partner, on 26 October 2021. On 13 October 2021, the...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 26 Oct 2021



International Employment Lawyer features Samar Shams on UK youth mobility scheme

Our Immigration Partner Samar Shams has been featured in International Employment Lawyer with an article discussing the...


Press | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 27 Sep 2021



Startups features Samar Shams on immigration rules for SMEs

Samar Shams, an Immigration and Global Mobility Partner at Spencer West discusses what SMEs need to know about the new...


Press | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 14 Sep 2021



Post-Brexit UK-EU business travel and remote deployments

In this article for International Employment Lawyer, Samar Shams explains the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement framework...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 8 Sep 2021



People Management features Samar Shams on the new High Potential Individual visa route

Spencer West’s Immigration and Global Mobility Partner Samar Shams is featured in People Management, the official online...


Press | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 6 Sep 2021



Remote control: Checking right to work documents for employees working from home

The Spencer West immigration team prepared this short summary of how to check employees’ documents by video conference in...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 31 Aug 2021



International Employment Lawyer features Samar Shams on UK-EU travel post-Brexit

Our Immigration and Global Mobility Partner Samar Shams has written an article for International Employment Lawyer, discussing...


Press | Immigration & Global Mobility | General
Posted: 22 Jul 2021



Update on Coronavirus and UK immigration

This update highlights the available policy information, the problems posed for visa holders and their employers and what they can do...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility | COVID-19 | Post-Brexit
Posted: 5 Jul 2021



New graduate visa route now open to international students in the UK

The new graduate route launched on 1 July 2021. This route allows international students to remain in the UK to work after...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 1 Jul 2021



Business visitors to the UK – What companies need to know about immigration and tax

SpeakersSamar Shams of Spencer West LLPCharlotte Hobrough of BDO


Webinar | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 22 Jun 2021



Right to work checks in the not-so-remote future

The Government has published several new policy documents on conducting right to work checks after the post-Brexit transition...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 21 Jun 2021



Post Study Working It! The New Graduate Visa

The exciting new graduate route visa is nearly here! You can now stay in the UK for up to 2 years post study. Are you ready for...


Webinar | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 3 Jun 2021



EU Settlement Scheme tips in advance of the deadline

The EU Settlement Scheme deadline is fast approaching! In this quick video, Samar Shams explains some little-known but...


Video | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 26 May 2021



Check it out: Right to Work update

In this timely webinar, Spencer West Immigration and Global Mobility Partner Samar Shams will take stock of the new right to...


Webinar | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 6 May 2021



End of temporary policy allowing remote right to work checks

This article was written by Samar Shams, Immigration and Global Mobility Partner, on 21 April 2021 and updated on 17 May...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 21 Apr 2021



What businesses can expect from Immigration reforms

The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak announced measures for reforming the current immigration system during the 2021 budget, with most...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 7 Apr 2021



Contractual Service Suppliers and Independent Professionals Post-Brexit visas.

In this short video, Immigration and Global Mobility Partner Samar Shams explains how contract-based work by employees and the...


Video | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 24 Mar 2021



Graduate route to open for international students in the UK

The new graduate route launches on 1 July 2021. This will allow international students to remain in the UK to work. This route...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility | Post-Brexit
Posted: 22 Mar 2021



Post-Brexit Travel to the EU

Now that Brexit has fully come to pass, it’s time for UK businesspeople to familiarise themselves with the details of travel...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility | Post-Brexit
Posted: 8 Mar 2021



Business travel in the post- Brexit landscape

In this article, Immigration and Global Mobility Partner Samar Shams explains when employees and business people are able to...


News | Immigration & Global Mobility | Post-Brexit
Posted: 26 Feb 2021



British National Overseas (BN(O)) visa route updates.

British National Overseas (BN(O)) visa route updates. The BN(O) visa route officially came into force on 31 January 2021. See...


Video | Immigration & Global Mobility
Posted: 26 Feb 2021



Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa

A special UK visa for those with British National Overseas (BN(O)) status in Hong Kong came into force on 31 January...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility | Post-Brexit
Posted: 25 Feb 2021



UK - EU Business Travel

In this short video, Immigration and Global Mobility Partner Samar Shams sets out the basics of business travel between the UK...


Video | Immigration & Global Mobility | Post-Brexit
Posted: 24 Feb 2021



Parole d'export

In this French-language podcast, Immigration and Global Mobility Partner Samar Shams discusses the impact of Brexit on the...


Article | Immigration & Global Mobility | Post-Brexit
Posted: 23 Feb 2021



UK-EU break up to make up roundtable series

Please join us for an informal conversation about immigration issues affecting EU nationals and their employers in the UK....


Webinar | Immigration & Global Mobility | Post-Brexit
Posted: 20 Feb 2021