Contribution to skilled worker visa audit
We have recently contributed to the National Audit Office’s audit of the Skilled Worker Visa Route, sending a response to their call-out for contributions. Find the audit here.
hostile office
AI Under Watch- Insights for people in the asylum system and refugee support services
Date: 18 March 2025 Time: 4.00 – 7.45pm Venue: Pelican House, 144 Cambridge Heath Road, London, E1 5QJ With the ever increasing use of AI in UK infrastructure, we have already witnessed AI being gradually implemented into the UK immigration and asylum system for some time. Through our new AI Under Watch resource, we have
Refugees who made “dangerous journeys” could be blocked from UK citizenship
The good character requirement has been updated on 10th February 2025 to block some refugees from naturalising as British citizens if their entry to the UK was criminalised, i.e. they did not arrive with the required immigration documentation, such as a visa or electronic travel authorisation (ETA). This specifically applies to people who traveled to
Misgendering as state policy: Transphobia and the expansion of violence against migrants
Interim changes were brought in on 22nd January to the policy governing the treatment of trans+ people in immigration detention. There is no timeline for when new guidance will be brought in to replace previous guidance that governed trans+ people in all kinds of detention, including immigration detention and prisons. Even still, the interim guidance
Renters’ Rights Bill – International Students Know Your Rights Update
The Renters’ Rights Bill is currently progressing through Parliament, and is predicted to pass by the summer, having passed the House of Commons on 14th January. There are a number of ways in which the Bill will positively affect you as international students, so we’ve gone through the new Renters’ Rights Bill so you can
Digitalisation of the UK border: EVisas
The rollout of eVisas has begun. The Home Office is aiming to replace all physical documents with eVisas in 2025. Please note: the Government ceased issuing new BRPs on 31st October 2024. The Home Office has sent emails to all those with physical immigration documents, called biometric residence permits (BRPs), inviting them to create a
Criminalising migrants is a racist race to the bottom
Today on 15th December 2024, the Government has announced “crackdowns” on those without permission to work while gleefully congratulating itself for ramping up cruel detentions and deportations. The timing of this announcement which criminalises migrants is particularly tragic and pertinent following the murder of people seeking asylum in Dunkirk overnight. This kind of dehumanising policy and
The eVisa scheme was set up to fail
The Home Office are starting to realise the chaos they’ve caused with the eVisa rollout. The Government has reportedly announced that the planned shift to the new digital immigration system will be postponed. Despite warnings from civil society that the shift would have a detrimental impact on migrants who already are subjected to constantly changing
Deportation Flight: 17 October
An update on the deportation flight to Ghana and Nigeria: A USC Aero flight took off on 17 October, from Stansted, around an hour after its scheduled departure of 10pm. We are not sure how many were on the flight, but we believe the flight was full, given that there were five coaches and some
International Students Report
International students are often invisible victims of the Hostile Office. Their perceived temporary status and wealth to study internationally means that they are often disregarded in migrants’ rights advocacy, despite facing increasing restrictions on their immigration conditions in the UK. This is why we have conducted this research to understand how international students are treated