Luke Piper
@lukepiper.bsky.social
Solicitor. Head of Immigration at the Work Rights Centre. All things U.K. immigration law / policy mainly. Yorkshireman in Bristol.
Pinned
Luke Piper
@lukepiper.bsky.social
· May 11
BREAKING: “We will be closing the care worker visa for overseas recruitment” - Home Secretary Yvette Cooper
Don’t we have a desperate shortage of care workers?
Don’t we have a desperate shortage of care workers?
The debate around care visas in the political space boils down to people saying stuff like this - we desperately need people.
It's a good soundbite but...
A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted.
Why?
It's a good soundbite but...
A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted.
Why?
Reposted by Luke Piper
Going to leave you with a Home Office chart from their most recent asylum stats so you can decide whether the UK is a magnet for asylum seekers with a uniquely generous asylum system www.gov.uk/government/s...
November 17, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Going to leave you with a Home Office chart from their most recent asylum stats so you can decide whether the UK is a magnet for asylum seekers with a uniquely generous asylum system www.gov.uk/government/s...
Don't skip on the appendix. There is some very helpful clarifications in there on what is a bit ambiguous in the main text.
The Home Office has now published its much-trailed policy paper on changes to asylum rules www.gov.uk/government/p...
November 17, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Don't skip on the appendix. There is some very helpful clarifications in there on what is a bit ambiguous in the main text.
Reposted by Luke Piper
The Home Office has now published its much-trailed policy paper on changes to asylum rules www.gov.uk/government/p...
November 17, 2025 at 3:37 PM
The Home Office has now published its much-trailed policy paper on changes to asylum rules www.gov.uk/government/p...
Reposted by Luke Piper
There are three Urgent Questions in the Commons this afternoon (after Home Office questions). So the Home Secretary's statement is unlikely to come before 5.30pm now.
Also confirmed:
• Urgent question from Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride MP: "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if she will make a statement on briefings to the press about the contents of the Budget."
• Urgent question from Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride MP: "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if she will make a statement on briefings to the press about the contents of the Budget."
November 17, 2025 at 1:24 PM
There are three Urgent Questions in the Commons this afternoon (after Home Office questions). So the Home Secretary's statement is unlikely to come before 5.30pm now.
Today's schedule on (another) immigration statement in the Commons.
November 17, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Today's schedule on (another) immigration statement in the Commons.
Reposted by Luke Piper
A good point. And this has caused a huge amount of problems for Ukrainians, including in finding jobs and homes.
Had a further thought. The UK and EU already have temporary status for Ukrainians with no specific routes to settlement. The UK has excluded Ukrainians from long residence rules. So there is precedent.
November 15, 2025 at 8:36 AM
A good point. And this has caused a huge amount of problems for Ukrainians, including in finding jobs and homes.
Various examples of Home Office salary changes to the Skilled Worker route impacting sectors are (re)emerging. I thought I'd start putting a thread together of examples. Please share if you spot any!
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🧵
November 12, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Various examples of Home Office salary changes to the Skilled Worker route impacting sectors are (re)emerging. I thought I'd start putting a thread together of examples. Please share if you spot any!
🧵
🧵
Judgment handed down in the Epping Hotel case (that filled the news cycle for days). Perhaps the most striking paragraph:
www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWH...
www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWH...
November 11, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Judgment handed down in the Epping Hotel case (that filled the news cycle for days). Perhaps the most striking paragraph:
www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWH...
www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWH...
Reposted by Luke Piper
🚨🚨🚨
Our new report on hotel accommodation drops today.
These hotels are not 5*. Here's the proof.
Relying on testimony from clients, photos & medical evidence, you can now see the awful reality of hotel life.
More updates throughout the day so watch this space.
www.ramfel.org.uk/asylum-hotel...
Our new report on hotel accommodation drops today.
These hotels are not 5*. Here's the proof.
Relying on testimony from clients, photos & medical evidence, you can now see the awful reality of hotel life.
More updates throughout the day so watch this space.
www.ramfel.org.uk/asylum-hotel...
Asylum Hotels Report
Our new report, Profiting from People: Inside the UK’s Asylum Hotels , exposes the true horrors that refugees face whilst housed for years on end in asylum hotels. We’ve long known this, and now...
www.ramfel.org.uk
November 11, 2025 at 9:52 AM
🚨🚨🚨
Our new report on hotel accommodation drops today.
These hotels are not 5*. Here's the proof.
Relying on testimony from clients, photos & medical evidence, you can now see the awful reality of hotel life.
More updates throughout the day so watch this space.
www.ramfel.org.uk/asylum-hotel...
Our new report on hotel accommodation drops today.
These hotels are not 5*. Here's the proof.
Relying on testimony from clients, photos & medical evidence, you can now see the awful reality of hotel life.
More updates throughout the day so watch this space.
www.ramfel.org.uk/asylum-hotel...
Yesterday I helped give a presentation on immigration law options to a room full of people trapped by the Health and Care Visa.
Promised work, paid £££, unable to work and can't find new sponsors.
This crisis i wrote a thread on 5 months ago isn't going away.
Promised work, paid £££, unable to work and can't find new sponsors.
This crisis i wrote a thread on 5 months ago isn't going away.
The debate around care visas in the political space boils down to people saying stuff like this - we desperately need people.
It's a good soundbite but...
A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted.
Why?
It's a good soundbite but...
A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted.
Why?
BREAKING: “We will be closing the care worker visa for overseas recruitment” - Home Secretary Yvette Cooper
Don’t we have a desperate shortage of care workers?
Don’t we have a desperate shortage of care workers?
November 7, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Yesterday I helped give a presentation on immigration law options to a room full of people trapped by the Health and Care Visa.
Promised work, paid £££, unable to work and can't find new sponsors.
This crisis i wrote a thread on 5 months ago isn't going away.
Promised work, paid £££, unable to work and can't find new sponsors.
This crisis i wrote a thread on 5 months ago isn't going away.
This should be good.
HASC questioning Migration Advisory Committee on UK immigration challenges.
committees.parliament.uk/event/24901/...
HASC questioning Migration Advisory Committee on UK immigration challenges.
committees.parliament.uk/event/24901/...
4 November 2025 - The work of the Migration Advisory Committee - Oral evidence - Committees - UK Parliament
14:00 - Room 15, Palace of Westminster
committees.parliament.uk
November 3, 2025 at 3:03 PM
This should be good.
HASC questioning Migration Advisory Committee on UK immigration challenges.
committees.parliament.uk/event/24901/...
HASC questioning Migration Advisory Committee on UK immigration challenges.
committees.parliament.uk/event/24901/...
Reposted by Luke Piper
We are delighted to welcome @mdiasabey.bsky.social to our board of trustees🎉
Manoj's long-standing interest in labour rights, and his support for a collaborative Fair Work Agency that values civil society input, makes him an ideal collaborator in our work.
www.workrightscentre.org/about-us/our...
Manoj's long-standing interest in labour rights, and his support for a collaborative Fair Work Agency that values civil society input, makes him an ideal collaborator in our work.
www.workrightscentre.org/about-us/our...
Manoj Dias-Abey | Work Rights Centre
www.workrightscentre.org
November 3, 2025 at 12:38 PM
We are delighted to welcome @mdiasabey.bsky.social to our board of trustees🎉
Manoj's long-standing interest in labour rights, and his support for a collaborative Fair Work Agency that values civil society input, makes him an ideal collaborator in our work.
www.workrightscentre.org/about-us/our...
Manoj's long-standing interest in labour rights, and his support for a collaborative Fair Work Agency that values civil society input, makes him an ideal collaborator in our work.
www.workrightscentre.org/about-us/our...
Reposted by Luke Piper
🚨NEWS🚨
Next week marks report stage of the Borders Bill. We're briefing to 2 urgent amendments:
Amendment 43 calls on the right to work for survivors of modern slavery in the NRM &
Amendment 44 calls on changes to the ODW visa
Briefings available to read here: www.kalayaan.org.uk/resources/br...
Next week marks report stage of the Borders Bill. We're briefing to 2 urgent amendments:
Amendment 43 calls on the right to work for survivors of modern slavery in the NRM &
Amendment 44 calls on changes to the ODW visa
Briefings available to read here: www.kalayaan.org.uk/resources/br...
Briefings | Kalayaan
Kalayaan is a small London based charity which works to provide practical advice and support to, as well as campaign with and for, the rights of migrant domestic workers in the UK.
www.kalayaan.org.uk
October 31, 2025 at 5:19 PM
🚨NEWS🚨
Next week marks report stage of the Borders Bill. We're briefing to 2 urgent amendments:
Amendment 43 calls on the right to work for survivors of modern slavery in the NRM &
Amendment 44 calls on changes to the ODW visa
Briefings available to read here: www.kalayaan.org.uk/resources/br...
Next week marks report stage of the Borders Bill. We're briefing to 2 urgent amendments:
Amendment 43 calls on the right to work for survivors of modern slavery in the NRM &
Amendment 44 calls on changes to the ODW visa
Briefings available to read here: www.kalayaan.org.uk/resources/br...
Makes me wince seeing this because of how hard it now is for people to switch into the Skilled Worker route. Lots of people on graduate visas facing cliff edges after spending thousands££ on visas/study.
Over 40% of international students who arrived in the UK in 2022 had switched to a work visa by 2024 (mostly the Graduate visa designed for that purpose), Migration Observatory analysis shows migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/br...
November 1, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Makes me wince seeing this because of how hard it now is for people to switch into the Skilled Worker route. Lots of people on graduate visas facing cliff edges after spending thousands££ on visas/study.
The majority of the casework I do involves people in similar situations to Kavin. Trapped in limbo unable to work and move on to new sponsors. The government's toughening up of rules and increase in costs has made the situation worse.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/migrants-...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/migrants-...
Migrant workers on legal visas trapped in modern slavery
Revealed: UK’s employment visas are causing thousands of legal migrant workers to end up in modern slavery
www.opendemocracy.net
October 31, 2025 at 10:14 AM
The majority of the casework I do involves people in similar situations to Kavin. Trapped in limbo unable to work and move on to new sponsors. The government's toughening up of rules and increase in costs has made the situation worse.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/migrants-...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/migrants-...
Reposted by Luke Piper
New - how people arriving into the UK on visas become trapped in modern slavery
www.opendemocracy.net/en/migrants-...
Kavin came here to work. He did everything “right”. But the way we design visas contributed to his exploitation @opendemocracy.net
www.opendemocracy.net/en/migrants-...
Kavin came here to work. He did everything “right”. But the way we design visas contributed to his exploitation @opendemocracy.net
Migrant workers on legal visas trapped in modern slavery
Revealed: UK’s employment visas are causing thousands of legal migrant workers to end up in modern slavery
www.opendemocracy.net
October 31, 2025 at 8:54 AM
New - how people arriving into the UK on visas become trapped in modern slavery
www.opendemocracy.net/en/migrants-...
Kavin came here to work. He did everything “right”. But the way we design visas contributed to his exploitation @opendemocracy.net
www.opendemocracy.net/en/migrants-...
Kavin came here to work. He did everything “right”. But the way we design visas contributed to his exploitation @opendemocracy.net
Fine but the damage has been done. There are more harmful/hateful policies to come and the UK is already relatively unattractive to the world. High salary thresholds/harsh rules/high fees has seen numbers already plummet. Can this be turned around?
Our latest polling shows concerns about immigration are manufactured
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
Polling shows immigration concern ‘manufactured’, say campaigners
A YouGov poll found only 26% of people said immigration and asylum was one of the three most important issues facing their community.
www.standard.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Fine but the damage has been done. There are more harmful/hateful policies to come and the UK is already relatively unattractive to the world. High salary thresholds/harsh rules/high fees has seen numbers already plummet. Can this be turned around?
The Government's consultation on the Right to Work scheme is narrowly focused on developing the code of practice that will implement what is in the bill.
I've not seen much debate on the changes that were snuck in at the end the commons stage. /1
www.gov.uk/government/c...
I've not seen much debate on the changes that were snuck in at the end the commons stage. /1
www.gov.uk/government/c...
October 30, 2025 at 10:46 AM
The Government's consultation on the Right to Work scheme is narrowly focused on developing the code of practice that will implement what is in the bill.
I've not seen much debate on the changes that were snuck in at the end the commons stage. /1
www.gov.uk/government/c...
I've not seen much debate on the changes that were snuck in at the end the commons stage. /1
www.gov.uk/government/c...
The LAA's PowerBI data map linked to in this piece is VERY interesting.
October 30, 2025 at 9:33 AM
The LAA's PowerBI data map linked to in this piece is VERY interesting.
Reposted by Luke Piper
New from Free Movement: Job ad: Work Rights Centre are recruiting a Trainee Solicitor | Free Movement
Job ad: Work Rights Centre are recruiting a Trainee Solicitor - Free Movement
We’re recruiting a Trainee Solicitor (Immigration and Employment)
freemovement.org.uk
October 29, 2025 at 8:06 AM
New from Free Movement: Job ad: Work Rights Centre are recruiting a Trainee Solicitor | Free Movement
I can think of some not very nice things the Home Office could do with this approach...
HMRC have now said the number of people who have been contacted and had their child benefit suspended is closer to 23,500 than up to 35,000 as previously stated.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
HMRC cuts child benefit for 23,500 families based on incomplete travel data
UK tax agency apologises after flagging people as having emigrated, often when they return via different routes
www.theguardian.com
October 28, 2025 at 1:58 PM
I can think of some not very nice things the Home Office could do with this approach...
Reposted by Luke Piper
We're recruiting a trainee solicitor with a strong sense of justice, who is looking to build a career in a legal profession.
After two years, you will gain the required practical experience to fully qualify as a solicitor.
Apply or send to a friend🤝
www.workrightscentre.org/publications...
After two years, you will gain the required practical experience to fully qualify as a solicitor.
Apply or send to a friend🤝
www.workrightscentre.org/publications...
We’re recruiting a Trainee Solicitor (Immigration and Employment) | Work Rights Centre
www.workrightscentre.org
October 21, 2025 at 9:38 AM
We're recruiting a trainee solicitor with a strong sense of justice, who is looking to build a career in a legal profession.
After two years, you will gain the required practical experience to fully qualify as a solicitor.
Apply or send to a friend🤝
www.workrightscentre.org/publications...
After two years, you will gain the required practical experience to fully qualify as a solicitor.
Apply or send to a friend🤝
www.workrightscentre.org/publications...
I am no ardent defender of the Home Office. But effective reform will not come if they are to face / rely on reports like this. It is not a credible piece of work. These glimpses into how the Home Office was examined by the previous administration are instructive.
A report Nick Timothy MP produced in March 23' (when he was not an MP) has featured heavily in the media and has been used by the Home.Sec. to attack the Home Office. I had the chance to read it... /1
October 27, 2025 at 4:31 PM
I am no ardent defender of the Home Office. But effective reform will not come if they are to face / rely on reports like this. It is not a credible piece of work. These glimpses into how the Home Office was examined by the previous administration are instructive.
A report Nick Timothy MP produced in March 23' (when he was not an MP) has featured heavily in the media and has been used by the Home.Sec. to attack the Home Office. I had the chance to read it... /1
October 27, 2025 at 3:20 PM
A report Nick Timothy MP produced in March 23' (when he was not an MP) has featured heavily in the media and has been used by the Home.Sec. to attack the Home Office. I had the chance to read it... /1