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- Date:
- 28 May 2026
- Type:
- News
Immigration law specialists have welcomed a u-turn on Home Office guidance requiring employers sponsoring migrant workers to conduct right-to-work checks on anyone they "directly engage". In the past three months there have been three updates to the Home Office guidance about whom sponsors should conduct right-to-work checks on - the latest, published on 20 May, could bring much relief to employers with licences to sponsor workers.
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- Type:
- Employment law guide
The Home Office will assess skilled worker and global business mobility applications to ensure jobs are genuine and meet eligible role requirements. Companies must maintain compliance throughout the sponsorship period.
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- Type:
- How to
On 20 May 2026, the Home Office amended its guidance for sponsors, reversing previous guidance it had issued on 6 March 2026, which appeared to require sponsors to check the right to work of all workers they engage, including those they do not employ directly. The new guidance confirms that checks on workers who are not direct employees are only required if they are sponsored by the employer.
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- Type:
- How to
On 20 May 2026, the Home Office amended its guidance for sponsors, reversing previous guidance it had issued on 6 March 2026, which appeared to require sponsors to check the right to work of all workers they engage, including those they do not employ directly. The new guidance confirms that checks on workers who are not direct employees are only required if they are sponsored by the employer.
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- Type:
- How to
This guide has been reviewed and updated with further detail, including confirmation that permitted weekly working hours must not be averaged out and further detail on managing working hour restrictions for research students without clearly defined vacation periods.
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- Type:
- Legal timetable
Fees payable to the Home Office when recruiting and sponsoring foreign nationals increase on 8 April 2026.
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- Type:
- Legal timetable
Updated to reflect the publication of the Immigration Skills Charge (Amendment) Regulations 2025, coming into force on 16 December 2025.
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- Type:
- Legal timetable
The level of English language ability required for foreign nationals under the skilled worker route rises from level B1 to level B2.
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- Date:
- 19 September 2025
- Type:
- Podcasts and webinars
This webinar provides essential guidance on conducting right to work checks and common pitfalls. It also considers how the proposed expansion of right to work checks to cover workers and self-employed contractors will impact employers.
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- Type:
- Legal timetable
A number of changes are made to the rules on sponsoring workers, where the certificate of sponsorship is issued on or after 22 July 2025.