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The UK Visa cap on non-EU migrants has already impacted on law firms in the UK.
17 August 2010
UK Visa cap has already impacted on law firms
The UK Visa cap on non-EU migrants is already impacting on law firms and their ability to employ potential trainees or take on interns.
In recent years a growing number of UK firms, including Herbert Smith, Linklaters, SJ Berwin and Norton Rose, have developed strong links with Indian universities and regularly have recruitment drives for graduates.
It is predicted that the UK Visa cap will be an issue for many law firms seeking to employ non-EU graduates, because countries like India and Australia operate under the same common law system, unlike France or Germany, which are civil law jurisdictions.
The temporary UK Visa Cap applies to all new applicants under Tier 1 (General), except for extension applications and in-country applications. Applications under Tier 2 (General) will be limited by the number of Employer Sponsorship Licences that are issued.
The UK Law Society is gathering feedback from law firms for submissions to both the UKBA and the Migratory Advisory Committee, which are taking public consultations to develop the level of permanent caps to be introduced in April next year.
The UK Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people with their UK immigration applications to the British Embassy.
