Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #62

Welcome to the weekly Free Movement newsletter!

A survey of Ukrainians in the UK has indicated that a high proportion had lost either lost out on a new job, their tenancy was not renewed, were unable to sign a new tenancy or had a job contract that was not renewed, all because of the imminent expiry of their leave. One person in the article describes receiving a letter telling her that her universal credit could be stopped. These issues have been experienced by people approaching the end of their leave for years, and are entirely a product of the hostile environment. The government’s response has been to say that people will have section 3C leave which, as demonstrated in last year’s RAMFEL case, makes life even more difficult.

Despite these problems, the government intends to expand the hostile environment, announcing yesterday that right to work checks will be extended to cover businesses hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers. The Home Secretary said that these changes were being made to deter people from coming to the UK in small boats. This is despite the Home Office’s own report, which said that there is no evidence of “a long-term correlation between labour market access and destination choice”. 

These changes are therefore unlikely to have any impact on people coming over by small boat, but they will create more problems for those who are here lawfully and are approaching the expiry of their leave, or who are on section 3C leave.

On the blog, we covered an important update on challenging asylum support decisions where an asylum claim has been deemed withdrawn by the Home Office. In another case, a man won his appeal against refusal of entry clearance as a spouse, but very sadly he succeeded only after his spouse had died. 

We also had a write up of a Court of Appeal decision refusing an extension of time to appeal in a deprivation case involving a woman in a refugee camp in Syria, and this nightmare of a case where the Home Office applied a deportation decision to the wrong person.

Last week changes were made to the eVisa regime through amendments to the regulations on biometrics. Also, the ICIBI published their report on the Border Force’s operation to detect and deter clandestine entrants. Note that the ICIBI has published a call for evidence for their latest inspection which is of the Home Office’s approach to overstayers. The deadline is 16 April.

For everything else on Free Movement and elsewhere, read on.

Cheers, Sonia

What we’re reading

Syria after Assad: why many Syrian refugees aren’t returning home – The Conversation, 24 March

Families torn apart for not earning enough under ‘unfair’ visa rules: ‘I can’t take care of my husband’ – Big Issue, 26 March

Yvette Cooper reviews right to family life for people who enter UK irregularly – The Guardian, 30 March

Politicians’ attacks on immigrants lack solid evidence: New data set the record straight – The Conversation, 26 March

Deportation and removal: what is driving the numbers? – The Migration Observatory, 24 March

New immigration raids, the hostile environment, and migrant women’s human rights, by Natalie Sedacca – Dignity & Democracy, 25 March

‘Deepening concerns’ as NI tourism industry being hit by cancellations due to travellers needing paperwork – Belfast Telegraph, 25 March

Stereotyping a factor in loss of life in deadliest Channel crossing, inquiry told – The Guardian, 27 March

Secret filming reveals brazen tactics of UK immigration scammers – BBC News, 31 March