Chetal Patel urges cultural sector to support international creatives seeking moves to UK and boost film and television sector growth

While immigration remains a hot topic in the UK, Bates Wells is calling for the creative sector to lead in …
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UK visa options as an alternative to the H-1B visa

March can be a tense time for American companies and international employees who are awaiting the outcome of the H-1B …
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Two thirds of architect practices cannot pay new rates to sponsor overseas skilled workers

Law firms Bates Wells and Kingsley Napley are urging Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to respond to their letter, sent 16 …
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2024 in review: UK immigration twists, turns, and digital shifts – and what’s ahead for 2025

2024: A year of change in UK immigration 2024 was a pivotal year for UK immigration, marked by significant policy …
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It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas…

The arrival of the festive season is usually a time for merriment but for employers it brings with it the …
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Faith-based Organisations: 2024 and 2025 update

Welcome to our annual faith-based update. In this packed edition, we cover a range of issues that commonly present challenges …
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Groundbreaking cases and positive impact: Bates Wells recognised by The Times Best Law Firms 2025

We’ve been recognised by The Times Best Law Firms 2025 for our work for charities, employment, immigration, and administrative & …
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Realise your purpose: How Immigration and hybrid working are shaping the future of workforce diversity

Realise Your Purpose is a Bates Wells campaign to help commercial organisations consider, decide on and implement their ESG goals. …
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UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme rollout timetable finally confirmed

The government has finally announced further rollout dates for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme. As one of many steps …
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Employers’ guide to eVisas – all you need to know

As the UK government continues to phase out physical immigration documents in favour of digital eVisas, it’s important that employers …
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Transition to a fully digital system – changes to guidance on eVisas and BRPs

On 6 August 2024 the guidance for eVisas changed to state that anyone with a BRP can now create a …
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What’s still to come in 2024? Upcoming immigration changes

2024 has already been a year of rapid change for the UK’s most-used immigration routes. The rest of the year …
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