UK announces 2-year post-study work visa for international students

employment law, immigration, red tape

In the years 2017 – 2018 the
number of international students studying here in the UK was 458,490 and the UK is at present the second most popular study destination worldwide. A report
completed for the Government by the Migration Advisory Committee in September last year however, indicated that the UK runs the risk of being overtaken for second spot by Southern Hemisphere rival Australia.

With course costs for international students being significantly higher than those for ‘home’ students educational institutions from all over the UK benefit from the revenue that international students bring.

Would reforming the Working Time regulations be a good idea?

employment law reform, EU, holidays, pay and benefits, red tape, working time

Brexit. Brexit. Brexit. Whilst Christmas and New Year provided a welcome rest from Brexit-dominated headlines, there is no doubt that the media train will start in earnest sooner rather than later.

Just before Christmas, various newspapers reported that the Working Time Regulations could be a target for the Government following the UK’s departure from the EU. Certain newspapers went further and stated that repealing or substantially amending the Working Time Regulations would be a positive example of removing so-called ‘red tape’ and freeing businesses from the burden of overbearing regulations; some newspapers even trotted out the over-used line of ‘taking back control’.

So, to use that awful phrase, should the UK ‘take back control’ and amend the Working Time Regulations?

if employment regulation is a problem why are we getting more?

employment law reform, procedure, red tape, settlement agreements, TUPE

The government has published “Employment Law 2013: progress on reform” which notes both that in the UK, “burdens from employment law are low by international standards”, and that there is a perception that employment regulation is a problem (perhaps fuelled by exercises such as the “Red Tape challenge“?), leading to a situation where “fear of…