DWI Global

Home Office ‘Demoralised’, Says Survey

Thu, 17 May 2012 16:18:00 +0100

The Guardian has reported that the first independent survey of civil servants' views of reforms has found that Home Office staff felt that their department was poorly equipped to cope with the uncertainties and challenges of the future compared with elsewhere in government.

Including International Students Will Damage UK Higher Education, Warns IPPR

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:24:00 +0100

Leading think tank, The Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR), has published a report warning that the Government’s insistence of including international students in their net migration count will damage the British education sector.

Govt To ‘Fast Track’ 70 More Staff For Heathrow For The Late Summer Rush

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:22:00 +0100

Plans have been announced to speed up the recruitment of 70 more border staff for Heathrow to quell concerns about lengthy queues after the Olympics.

UKBA Launches Tier 2 and 5 Premium Service

Mon, 14 May 2012 16:07:00 +0100

The UK Border Agency launched its new Premium Customer Service for Tier 2 and Tier 5 sponsors on 6th April 2012.

Citizenship Approvals Per Year More Than Doubled Since 2000

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:45:00 +0100

A recent report by The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, shows that in 2011, 177,878 foreign citizens naturalised as British citizens. This was a decrease from 195,130 in 2010, but higher than a five year average of 162,704 from 2005-2009. Approvals of British citizenship applications have increased substantially since 2000, with annual averages of 114,284 from 2000-2004.

Border Agency Report Points To Changes and Planning Deficiencies As The Queue Cause

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:42:00 +0100

A UK Border Agency Report has shown that the long queues at Heathrow airport were caused by organisational changes and a lack of planning, with too few staff at peak times at passport control at Terminal 3. According to the Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, John Vine, border staff were hampered in their ability “to maintain effective and efficient controls".

UKBA Publishes Olympics Guides

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:45:00 +0100

The UKBA has published new guides entitled ‘Coming to the UK to watch the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games’. Information and advice on applying for a visa, knowing what to bring into the UK, reclaiming VAT, and knowing rights and responsibilities whilst in the UK is available in English, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Spanish and Thai.

UK Immigration Officers Plan May Strike Over Pension Reforms

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:41:00 +0100

Immigration officers and passport office staff are expected to stage walkouts on 10th May after the Public & Commercial Services union (PCS) called for industrial action over public sector pension reforms. The strike is scheduled to take place one day after the Queen's Speech, in which the government's legislative ambitions are set out, and which is expected to include a bill enshrining pension changes in law.

Border Chaos Continues As Leak Alleges 10% Cut In UK Border Force

Fri, 04 May 2012 09:53:00 +0100

According to BBC reports, The Labour Party has obtained leaked figures that reveal that 10% of officers have been cut from the UK Border Force since 2010. That amounts to 880 personnel with a further 1,550 officer posts potentially disappearing by 2014/15.

UKBA Croydon Office Chaos As Computers Crash

Fri, 04 May 2012 09:50:00 +0100

On Thursday 3 May, hundreds of people queuing at UKBA's public enquiry office in Croydon, applying to extend or renew biometric residence permits, were told to go home because the computer system could not cope. All afternoon appointments have now been cancelled for the next two weeks.

UK A Highly Desirable Relocation Destination, says Gallup

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:22:00 +0100

According to research organisation Gallup in the US, 640 million people would like to leave their country of origin permanently – roughly 13% of the world’s adults. Of those, 45 million would like to come to the UK, making it the world’s second most desirable destination behind the USA, which took the top slot for 150 million people.

UK Migration Keeping Track With The G8

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:25:00 +0100

A recent report by the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford shows that UK migration is broadly in line with similar patterns across the G8 countries as a whole.

Borders Agency Still Borderline

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:31:00 +0100

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has provided ‘inconsistent’ information about immigration and asylum cases dating back to 2006, according to the Home Affairs Committee.

Cooling Off Period Concerns Grow

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:23:00 +0100

Concerns are gathering following the Home Office’s announcement to freeze its cap on non-migrant workers Visas at 20,700 until April 2014.

Eye Scanners Mothballed

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:55:00 +0100

High tech eye scanners at Manchester and Birmingham airports have been mothballed, but will continue being used at Gatwick and Heathrow until after the Olympics.

Family Visas Route To UK No Longer?

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:47:00 +0100

A leaked letter to The Telegraph warns of possible new rules, proposed to come in this June, that will make it harder to come to the UK on family visas.

UK Immigration Rules - Changes to Tier 2

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:38:00 +0100

Following consultation and a report published by the independent Migration Advisory Committee in February, changes to the immigration rules were laid before Parliament on 4th April 2012. The UK government has after careful consideration, announced the following:

Be Prepared For Olympian Airport Traffic

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:52:00 +0100

The combination of summer tourism and the Olympics means Heathrow will see tens of thousands of extra passengers in July and August. Travellers are being advised to plan ahead carefully during this period.

London is Top of the Pops

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:58:00 +0100

A recent survey by totaljobs.com places London at Number 1 for international jobseekers. Respondents placed the importance of London as an international business centre and living factors over and above current UK economic performance.

DWi - Working around the Olympics

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:28:00 +0100

When London hosts the Olympic Games this summer, it will become the first city to stage the Olympics three times; the first being 1908 and later in 1948. Over 17,000 athletes representing 200 countries will compete in 26 sports, watched by a global television audience of billions. Staggering statistics – but what does it mean for Dearson Winyard, and how we operate day to day?