In its bi-monthly bulletin released on 23 February 2026, Ius Laboris—the world’s largest alliance of employment and immigration law firms—flagged the UK as the market demanding “immediate attention” from multinational clients. The newsletter highlights that February is a convergence point: the ETA becomes enforceable, eVisas replace physical documents on new applications, and salary thresholds for work routes rise on 1 March.
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For employers looking for hands-on help navigating these new requirements, VisaHQ can streamline the process. Via its dedicated UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/), the service manages ETA filings, guides eVisa conversions and provides real-time status tracking, allowing HR teams to stay compliant without drowning in paperwork.
According to Ius Laboris, many companies underestimate the combined administrative load. A single short-term assignment may now require an ETA for the traveller, digital-status verification for accompanying dependants and revised right-to-work checks for UK entities hosting the visitor. Firms that do not update assignment templates risk accidental non-compliance—something HMRC and the Home Office have pledged to police more aggressively in 2026. The briefing urges HR teams to run an immediate audit of pending travel and expat files, confirming that: 1) all non-visa nationals have applied for an ETA; 2) physical BRP or vignettes expiring after 31 December 2024 have been converted to eVisas; and 3) salary review cycles accommodate the higher going-rate tables due next month. Ius Laboris also recommends embedding API links to the Home Office’s “View and Prove” portal in HRIS dashboards so that managers can confirm digital status before onboarding. Early-adopter clients report average processing times of eight minutes for an ETA and 48 hours for eVisa conversion, but warn of spikes during holiday periods. With post-Brexit skills shortages persisting—especially in tech and healthcare—the bulletin concludes that proactive compliance is becoming a competitive advantage in talent acquisition. Companies that streamline these new UK procedures will be able to mobilise staff faster than rivals still battling paperwork.
For employers looking for hands-on help navigating these new requirements, VisaHQ can streamline the process. Via its dedicated UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/), the service manages ETA filings, guides eVisa conversions and provides real-time status tracking, allowing HR teams to stay compliant without drowning in paperwork.
According to Ius Laboris, many companies underestimate the combined administrative load. A single short-term assignment may now require an ETA for the traveller, digital-status verification for accompanying dependants and revised right-to-work checks for UK entities hosting the visitor. Firms that do not update assignment templates risk accidental non-compliance—something HMRC and the Home Office have pledged to police more aggressively in 2026. The briefing urges HR teams to run an immediate audit of pending travel and expat files, confirming that: 1) all non-visa nationals have applied for an ETA; 2) physical BRP or vignettes expiring after 31 December 2024 have been converted to eVisas; and 3) salary review cycles accommodate the higher going-rate tables due next month. Ius Laboris also recommends embedding API links to the Home Office’s “View and Prove” portal in HRIS dashboards so that managers can confirm digital status before onboarding. Early-adopter clients report average processing times of eight minutes for an ETA and 48 hours for eVisa conversion, but warn of spikes during holiday periods. With post-Brexit skills shortages persisting—especially in tech and healthcare—the bulletin concludes that proactive compliance is becoming a competitive advantage in talent acquisition. Companies that streamline these new UK procedures will be able to mobilise staff faster than rivals still battling paperwork.
