Labour Ministers Seek Compromise on 10-Year Settlement Plan
UK Immigration Fees and ‘Visa Brake’ Headline April Rule Changes
France Delays Biometric EU Border Checks for UK Travellers
Latest News
Labour Ministers Seek Compromise on 10-Year Indefinite-Leave-to-Remain Plan
A group of ministers and Labour backbenchers are lobbying No 10 to soften plans that would force most migrants to wait 10 years—rather than five—for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Exemptions for public-sector and already-resident workers are being discussed amid fears the change will damage the UK’s attractiveness to global talent and impose extra costs on employers. The Home Office still intends to lengthen settlement routes but may announce carve-outs before the summer.
Storm Dave Knocks Out Power and Shuts Transport Links Across the UK Easter Weekend
Storm Dave’s 93 mph winds cut electricity to thousands of homes and forced widespread cancellations of trains, ferries and flights across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on 4-5 April. The Easter-weekend disruption stranded travellers, triggered corporate duty-of-care responses and underscored the need for weather-contingency planning in mobility programmes.
British Airways and Pegasus Cancellations Ripple Through Heathrow and Regional Hubs
On 5 April British Airways and Pegasus together cancelled 25 flights and delayed 134, snarling connections at Heathrow, Istanbul, Vienna and Dubai. Tight runway slots and crew shortages magnified the impact, forcing last-minute hotel stays and re-bookings for business travellers. Companies are urged to check compensation rights and build extra slack into Easter-period itineraries.
Home-Office Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) Expansion Nears—Employers Urged to Prepare
A 5 April briefing on *ETA-England* confirms the Home Office will raise the ETA fee on 8 April and extend the digital waiver to almost all non-visa-nationals by April 2025. Employers that host overseas visitors should add ETA checks to pre-travel procedures now, as failure to secure authorisation will lead to denied boarding once the scheme is fully live.