Immigration rules for employers: Recent changes, future challenges
Aired: 24 September 2024
Duration: 1 hour
In this webinar
Major changes to the UK’s immigration rules came into force on 4 April 2024, affecting the requirements for sponsoring overseas skilled workers. The new Labour Government has also said it intends to reduce net migration and reduce reliance on overseas workers. What impact will these changes have on employers, and will hiring overseas workers continue to become more challenging?
In this webinar, Annabel Mace, partner and head of immigration, and May Cheung, director, from Squire Patton Boggs’ business immigration team, will provide insights into recent changes and future developments.
Annabel and May will guide you through key issues including:
- Right to work compliance
- Skilled worker sponsorship
- Electronic visas replacing Biometric residence permits
- The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) review of the Graduate visa route
- Further changes expected under the new Labour Government
Watch on-demand
More about our contributors

Robert Shore
HR Markets Insights Editor, Brightmine
Robert has over 20 years’ experience of publishing and journalism. At Brightmine he creates and commissions content for webinars and podcasts and for the Commentary and insights tool.
He has a Graduate Diploma in Law from the University of Law. He was formerly an International employment law editor at Brightmine, and prior to that worked as an arts journalist.
Connect with Robert on LinkedIn.

Annabel Mace
Annabel Mace is a partner in Squire Patton Boggs‘s Labour & Employment department and heads up the UK business immigration team.
She has more than 20 years’ experience advising businesses across a range of sectors on all aspects of business immigration and employment law. She has in-depth expertise in the Home Office’s Points Based System, particularly in relation to compliance issues arising out of maintaining sponsor licences. She regularly advises clients on complex matters where there is an immigration/employment overlap including: the immigration implications of mergers, acquisitions and business restructures; reinstatement of sponsor licences where they have been suspended or revoked; illegal-working allegations where civil penalties are threatened by the Home Office; C-suite hires and departures, including urgent visas and immigration-related challenges of a sensitive nature; visa curtailments; cross-border projects and international assignments, including overseas remote working; and discrimination risks relating to employer policies of non-sponsorship.

May Cheung
Director at Squire Patton Boggs
May Cheung is a Director at Squire Patton Boggs and she specialises in UK business immigration law. May advises organisations on a broad range of UK immigration visas including: skilled worker and global business mobility routes; UK expansion worker licences for those establishing in the UK; and temporary worker options for short term work. She regularly delivers training and webinars on sponsorship compliance and the prevention of illegal working issues.
May also advises companies on complex restructures that affect their sponsored employees, helping organisations to stay compliant with immigration obligations.
May has a particular interest in immigration law changes and regularly contributes to the Migration Advisory Committee’s consultations and liaises with the Home Office policy teams to ensure that the law remains practical and relevant to organisations.

