Deal, no deal or no Brexit?
Deal, no deal or no Brexit?
26 March 2019
Last week, the European Union (EU) agreed to delay Brexit until 12 April 2019 in the event that the Prime Minister’s deal is rejected by Parliament (no-deal scenario) or to 22 May 2019 in the event that the deal is voted through. Whilst this effectively means that Brexit is likely to be postponed until at least 12 April 2019, the UK government is pushing ahead with its campaign to register EU citizens and their family members under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) which is going to be fully operational from Saturday 30 March 2019.
Laura Devine Solicitors in partnership with Practical Law (Thomson Reuters) has created a short video guide on the requirements of the EUSS and how to apply. To watch the video, please click here.
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Zeena Luchowa discusses the position of EU citizens in the event of no-deal Brexit
Zeena Luchowa discusses the position of EU citizens in the event of no-deal Brexit
25 March 2019
Senior Solicitor Zeena Luchowa discusses the EU settlement scheme and position of EU citizens living in the UK in the event of a no-deal Brexit on BBC London’s Vanessa Feltz breakfast show.
Listen to the discussion on the BBC website. Skip to 1.38 minutes for Zeena’s comments.
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Significant changes to the Immigration Rules announced
Significant changes to the Immigration Rules announced
18 March 2019
Sweeping changes to the Immigration Rules are coming in from next week with the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route due to close for new applicants from 29 March 2019 and being replaced with new ‘Start-up’ and ‘Innovator’ routes.
The Government has also announced changes to Tier 1 (Investor), Tier 2 and Appendix EU.
Innovator route
The Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route will close to new applications from 29 March 2019 and be replaced by a new ‘Innovator’ route. The new route will require an investment of £50,000, a significant reduction from the £200,000 required of most applicants under the current Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route.
The new Innovator route will require applicants to receive an endorsement from a designated endorsing body, alleviating the Home Office of the task of assessing the credibility of businesses.
Start-up
The Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) route will close to new applications from 5 July 2019 and be replaced by the new Start-up route.
There are a number of welcome changes under this new route including a longer period of initial leave (now two years), no investment threshold (previously £50,000), and applicants no longer need to be recent graduates in order to qualify.
Like with the Innovator route, applicants for the Start-up visa will need to receive an endorsement from a designated endorsing body.
Tier 1 (Investor) changes
Changes have been introduced to the Tier 1 (Investor) route to improve the Government’s ability to assess the source of funds used for investment. The funds would have to have been held by the applicant for two years prior to the application, otherwise the applicant is required to demonstrate the exact source of the funds.
The changes also remove Government bonds as an eligible investment under the route. This change is designed to promote investment in trading UK companies.
EU Settlement Scheme
The Government has inserted provisions in the Immigration Rules to support the operation of the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).
These provisions include enabling applications to be made outside the UK, non-EEA citizens to apply for EUSS Family Permits, residents of the Channel Islands and Isle of Man to apply under the EUSS, and citizens of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland to apply under the EUSS.
Other Changes
Among other small changes, the UK Government has extended the exemption of doctors and nurses from the Tier 2 (General) restricted certificate of sponsorship cap and, following a review, has increased the minimum salary requirements for many SOC codes for Tier 2 applications.
Get in touch
If you have any queries in relation to any of the changes announced by the Government, please contact your usual LDS or LDA lawyer or enquiries@lauradevine.com.
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Laura Devine contributes to British Style Society for International Women’s Day
Laura Devine contributes to British Style Society for International Women’s Day
8 March 2019
Managing Partner Laura Devine offers her insights to British Style Society along with a number of other female business leaders. In response to the new international campaign #BalanceForBetter, Laura takes part in the vital discussion on gender balance in business, celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Laura emphasizes the importance of developing an environment that is unquestioningly inclusive, ensuring every person has a voice and a right to grow, irrespective of seniority or gender.
Read the full article here.
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LexisNexis Wellbeing Award 2019 won by Laura Devine Solicitors
LexisNexis Wellbeing Award 2019 won by Laura Devine Solicitors
15 March 2019
We are thrilled to have won the LexisNexis award 2019 for Wellbeing. This is in recognition of 16 years of staff care being top priority. The firm does not operate ‘family friendly’ policies but ‘friendly’ policies which have matured over the years into a wellbeing movement.
We were also delighted that we were shortlisted for the LexisNexis PSL/Knowledge award. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to LexisNexis for recognising this important category.
Our story
Laura Devine Solicitors (LDS) is a prestigious boutique immigration firm offering UK and US immigration services from London and New York, with 60 staff.
Laura Devine founded the firm in 2003 driven by the desire to offer a workplace where staff are at the centre of the firm’s ethos and the values of the firm are nurtured to ensure a positive and enriching staff and client experience. ‘Wellbeing’ was not a term used then and Laura referred to ‘looking after staff’. She concentrated on building a ‘3 Cs culture’ ensuring a caring, collegiate and collaborative environment where the entire team are comfortable and appreciated at all times. Clients and staff have provided feedback about the positive values that permeate the culture, which results in fulfilled staff and gratified clients. Whilst staff work in a highly pressured environment, the firm is committed to trying to ensure there is a fair work life balance which results in high staff and client retention rates.
Dedicated wellbeing team
The team is headed by Anna Robinson who joined the firm in 1997. As well as being a senior solicitor, Anna is a psychotherapist. Anna’s qualifications and skills in law and psychotherapy provide a distinctive perspective to our bespoke wellbeing.
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Brexit: Parliamentary votes this week
Brexit: Parliamentary votes this week
15 March 2019
This week there were several votes in Parliament affecting the process by which the UK plans to exit the EU. First, MPs overwhelmingly voted to reject the Prime Minister’s deal, followed by a narrow vote to reject no-deal. Yesterday, MPs overwhelmingly voted to request an extension on Article 50.
This request would now need to be put to the EU with the delay envisaged to last until 30 June 2019, if it is clear that the Prime Minister may be able to get support for her deal in Parliament. If it becomes clear no such support is forth-coming, the delay may be much longer.
So how does this affect citizens’ rights?
The Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route will close to new applications from 29 March 2019 and be replaced by a new ‘Innovator’ route. The new route will require an investment of £50,000, a significant reduction from the £200,000 required of most applicants under the current Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route.
Whilst no-deal was rejected in Parliament, it is still the default position if another deal (the Prime Minister’s one or a revised one) is not agreed. In the event of a no deal, EU citizens would still be allowed to move to the UK after the official withdrawal date (29 March, 30 June or another date as may be agreed) until 31 December 2020, however they would be required to apply for a thee-year permission after which they will need to meet the requirements of the new immigration system due to take effect from 1 January 2021.
What happens next?
Although the Prime Minister’s deal was rejected for a second time, it appears it may still be put to a vote for a third time. However, as MPs debate the next steps in the Brexit process, the uncertainty felt by businesses and individuals wishing to plan for the future, continues. Laura Devine Solicitors will continue to bring you the latest developments as they happen.
Brexit Services
We offer a wide range of Brexit-related services, including seminars, Brexit ‘surgery’ sessions and detailed briefings providing advice to businesses and employees. If you would like to know more about how we can help your business prepare for Brexit, please contact your usual LDS lawyer or EUenquiries@lauradevine.com.
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Laura Devine reflects on the progression of the legal profession for International Women’s Day
Laura Devine contributes to British Style Society for International Women’s Day
8 March 2019
Managing Partner Laura Devine speaks with MD Communications on International Women’s Day. Laura reflects on the drastic changes she has seen in the legal workplace since the 1980s and the challenges facing women in City law firms.
In recent years there have been sweeping updates to the way in which law is practiced, and Laura outlines the impact tech has had on working patterns and why a wellbeing movement has been implemented at LDS.
Read the full interview here.
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Laura Devine writes in the Law Society Gazette for International Women’s Day
Laura Devine writes in the Law Society Gazette for International Women’s Day
8 March 2019
Managing Partner Laura Devine writes in the Law Society Gazette and provides her thoughts on the importance of International Women’s Day. Overseeing a law firm that is 78% female, while not by design, has brought the importance of providing a collegiate, collaborative and considerate environment for the benefit of everyone – not just women.
Read the full article here.
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Sophie Barrett-Brown discusses the latest migration statistics
Sophie Barrett-Brown discusses the latest migration statistics
28 February 2019
Senior Partner and Head of UK Practice, Sophie Barrett-Brown spoke with BBC Radio London presenter Eddie Nestor and was quoted in the Evening Standard about the latest migration statistics released by the Office for National Statistics. Sophie commented on the sharp drop in the net number of EU nationals migrating to the UK and how non-EU net migration has increased during the same period. Despite the drop in EU net-migration, the overall figures for net migration continue to be well above the Government’s stated target of tens of thousands.
Listen to the full recording here (38 mins) and read her comments in the Evening Standard here.
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Karnig Dukmajian discusses updates to the US immigration system
Karnig Dukmajian discusses updates to the US immigration system
24 February 2019
Senior Attorney Karnig Dukmajian is quoted in the Telegraph discussing recent changes to the US immigration system. Karnig outlines the impact these changes will have on companies seeking to hire skilled workers through the H-1B visa route, particularly in the tech sector. The current administration’s “buy American, hire American” policy is having a significant effect on legal immigration to the US, causing substantial hiring issues for employers of highly skilled workers.
Read the full article here.
