Migrant members

UCU is currently the only trade union to officially recognise migrant status as an equalities issue, with a dedicated equality strand devoted to advancing the interests of migrant members. Increasing the focus on the specific challenges faced by migrants amongst the wider trade union movement is a key priority for the union.

Legal support for migrant members

UCU provides a range of legal support for migrant members, supported by expert immigration lawyers Bindmans. 

For more information about the UCU legal scheme, see our full legal services page.

If you are applying for a visa or indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and have questions, you can find a range of frequently asked questions, as well as other information about UCU's legal services, on this page. We anticipate that most questions about more 'straightforward' visa and ILR applications are answered in these documents, but we are constantly working with Bindmans to update them, so if your question is not covered, please email mmsc@ucu.org.uk. UCU members whose circumstances are unusual or notable in some way may be eligible for additional tailored legal support with their application. Please email legalservices@ucu.org.uk to learn more.

If you are being supported in casework in your local branch and your immigration status is raising complications with regard to UK employment law, you may also be eligible for  legal support from Bindmans. Again, please email legalservices@ucu.org.uk for more information.

eVisa and immigration status

The UK government is replacing physical documents with an online system for immigration status, also known as an eVisa. If you currently have a biometric residence permit (BRP) for a visa or ILR, an EEA or EUSS biometric residence card (BRC), or an endorsement stamp or visa sticker in your passport, you need to replace this physical document by the end of December 2024 with an eVisa.

An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK. You will no longer be able to use your physical documents to return to the UK or prove your immigration status within the UK from 1 January 2025 onwards. You will need to create a UKVI account to be able to access your eVisa. Click here for more information on how to do this.

 From 1 January 2025, the UK government is replacing physical documents with an online system for immigration status, also known as an eVisa. We are urging all affected members to take action now as you will no longer be able to use your physical documents to return to the UK or prove your immigration status within the UK. Click here for a step-by-step guide on setting up an eVisa as well as slides from the eVisa webinar delivered by Bindmans Solicitors on 18 November 2024 (UCU membership login required).

FAQs

Bindmans LLP have created a range of frequently asked questions documents for members in relation to various aspects of the immigration process.

Skilled worker visa - FAQs [65kb]

Frontier Workers - FAQs [36kb]

Sponsorship duties and absences - FAQs [24kb]

Nationality FAQs updated Dec 2022 [32kb]

End of Brexit transition period - FAQs [9kb]

EU Settlement Scheme FAQs [32kb]

Continuity of residence FAQ [97kb]

Strike action migrant worker FAQs [147kb]

Watch back our EU Settlement Scheme webinar with Bindmans' lawyers

Information for members affected by changes to the immigration salary thresholds

Following government announcements in December 2023 about a number of changes to immgration requirements for those on skilled worker, family and student visas, UCU's immigration lawyers Bindmans LLP have provided a  summary of changes to immigration requirements for members' information.

UCU strongly condemned the changes when they were announced and we will continue to call for a reversal of these damaging proposals.

If you require further information about any aspect of the changes, please see our full legal services page or email legalservices@ucu.org.uk for support.

Resources

Guidance to members on points based immigration

Points based immigration: UCU guidance 2013 [170kb]           
Points based immigration: UCU guidance 2013 [184kb]

UCU report - the impact of points based immigration

This report was commissioned by the UCU's Equality Committee in the context of the union's campaign against the points-based immigration system and immigration cap. It is part of UCU's commitment to a working and teaching environment free of discriminations, open to all and encouraging mutual understanding and discovery.

Impact of points based immigration: UCU report, May 12 [773kb]

UCU migrant members' survey results, November 2022

UCU's migrant members' standing committee (MMSC) conducted a survey to help understand how UCU support for migrant members could be enhanced. It examined the most effective ways to communicate the support UCU offers migrant members. It also asked what additional support was needed at branch level and national level.

Migrant members and non-members were clear in their responses that the support they would most like to see at branch level is support for 'bargaining and negotiating with employers to pay for related costs such as: visas, Indefinite Leave to Remain, Immigration Health Surcharge and citizenship applications'. While the most sought support at the national level was a 'toolkit for branches to support migrant members at a local level'.

Please click here to read the full report.

Latest information from TUC on migration

Working in the UK

The TUC have produced guidance on working in the UK and rights at work. The rights depend on the type of worker you are. The TUC resource will guide you to establish the category of worker to find out what rights apply. For further information visit: www.tuc.org.uk/workingintheuk

Migration Messaging Project

The TUC developed the Migration Messaging Project with Hope not Hate and Migrant Voice as a way to promote - and test the effectiveness - of progressive messages which shift the blame for workplace and social problems away from migrants and onto bad employers and lack of investment in services and welfare. This booklet provides case studies of the activities that took place in Corby, Manchester and Southampton over the course of the Migration Messaging Project to promote these messages: Connecting communities, building alliances: Migration Messaging Project (.pdf)

The impact of UK immigration policies on students and staff in further and higher education

UCU Equality Unit has produced this report to highlight the positive impact of immigration on the post-16 education sector and to demonstrate how the government's points-based immigration system is damaging the international reputation of our education system:

The impact of UK immigration policies on students and staff in further and higher education [844kb]

Migrant members' standing committee 

The migrant members' standing committee advises the Equality Committee and the National Executive Committee (NEC) on issues affecting migrant members and encourage self-organised networking.

The committee is comprised of the migrant representatives on the NEC, plus ten representatives elected at the annual equality conference.

Details of the current membership of the equality committee can be found on the Equality Standing Committees information page.

If you would like to contact the migrant members' standing committee, please email mmsc@ucu.org.uk. 

Migrant members' annual equality conference

Each year, the union hosts a conference for migrant members. The conference is open to all members who self-identify as migrant members, and is a chance to hear directly from the committee as well as to debate motions and discuss wider issues affecting migrant staff in our sectors.

Further details, including registration information, can be found on the Equality Groups Conference page.