LAUNCH OF "ACCESS LAW" - AIRED ON SKY CHANNEL 792
Mr Kashif Majeed, Principal of Aston Brooke Solicitors, presents his new interactive legal programme covering all aspects of UK Immigration Law called "Access Law". The programme was launched on the 30th January 2008 on Prime TV (Sky Channel 792) Prime TV is the best authentic pure Pakistani TV channel in Europe. Over 50 million veiwers in the whole of Europe and millions more in the Middle East and Asia makes Prime TV the most widely viewed Asian Channel. Access Law will run for 39 episodes covering all areas of UK Immigration Law including HSMP, Work Permits, Business Visas, Visit Visas, Student Visas, All Visa Appeals, Asylum and Nationality.
Access Law will be on air every Wednesday at 22.00 and repeated on Thursdays at 3.30pm only on Prime TV. To view each episode please click here
For further information please contact us
EXCLUSIVE: “PROFILE RAISED ON THE ISSUE OF SENIOR CARER WORK PERMITS”
31 May 2008
Aston Brooke Solicitors have taken an unprecedented step in their fight against the UK Border Agency. The firm has begun to raise awareness of the plight of employers and employees on Sky TV and proposed plans to produce a documentary on the controversial steps taken by the UK Border Agency which resulted in the judicial review being lodged last year. The aim is to keep the issue of senior carer work permits in the public domain.
‘Access Law’ is aired on Prime TV and the channel describes the show as a complete interactive legal programme covering all aspects of UK immigration law. The show has been launched to educate the viewers by providing an in depth and user-friendly guide to the ever changing law and policy implemented by the Government in relation to immigration law. The issue of overseas senior carers was of ‘great concern and a subject matter which had to be covered’ described the director of the show.
I am the co-producer and present the show and we all want to know if overseas senior carer work permits will be granted by the UK Border Agency. The uncertainty of the effects of the implementation of the New Points Based System in September 2008 has resulted in chaos within the healthcare sector.
Access Law invited Mr Paul Bates, HR Group Director for the European Care Group the sixth largest care provider in the UK to raise the ever increasing concerns for large corporate groups. This included discussions on the judicial review, the implementation of the New Points Based System in 2008 and its impact on large and smaller providers. Finally, the future for overseas senior carers and the possibility of them being placed on the shortage occupation list Mr Bates raised valid points on the programme and commented:
“It is imperative that the issue of senior carers is kept high on the agenda of the healthcare sector and a cause supported by every provider whether large or small. The effects of the changes that the UK Border Agency has introduced have far reaching implications and we all need to make a stand. I believe that we should take the opportunity to raise our concerns by whatever medium necessary and Access Law and Aston Brooke Solicitors are taking steps in the right direction”.
Aston Brooke Solicitors have also approached Channel 4 to produce a documentary to highlight the concerns of the health care industry. The programme will specifically concentrate on the effects of the policy change by the UK Border Agency on the employers and employees alike. The pillars of the Health Care Sector including ECCA, NCA, RNHA, UNISON and Skills for Care will be approached in the production of the programme.
Mr Martin Green, Chief Executive of ECCA who Aston Brooke is representing in the judicial review commented that:
“Mr Majeed of Aston Brooke Solicitors has shown that he does not plan to let the fight on behalf of the sector die. He has shown extreme dedication and perseverance which has been supported by the industry. I believe his recent plans to take the issue of senior carers to the medium of TV will produce positive results. The pressure needs to be maintained. ECCA wholeheartedly supports the firm and everyone representing the concerns of the sector should contact Mr Majeed to register your interest.”
Access Law covering the issue of senior carers will be aired on Sky Channel 792 on Wednesday 4th June 2008 at 22.00 and Thursday 5th June at 15.30.
National Care Homes Week 2 – 6 June 2008
Aston Brooke Solicitors will be attending the National Care Homes Week presented by Caring Business between the 2nd and 6th June 2008. Mr Ivan Lewis pledging his support, said:
‘National Care Homes Week is a fantastic idea for bringing attention to today’s care home. This week will highlight the amount of time, care and consideration, which goes into not only the people who occupy the homes, but also the facilities used by each establishment.’
For further information please contact http://www.caringbusiness.co.uk/conf
If you are affected by the changes to be brought under the New Points Based System in September 2008 or an employer concerned about your legal obligations or any other immigration enquiry relating to work permits contact Aston Brooke Solicitors FREE IMMIGRATION SURGERIES EVERYDAY AT 2PM This would provide an opportunity for both overseas workers and employers to speak to a team of lawyers specialising in Immigration Law and Work Permits.
“SENIOR CARER WORK PERMITS: A MYTH OR REALITY”
17th May 2008
Aston Brooke Solicitors have been approached by an unprecedented level of care providers and individual senior carers all wanting to know if overseas senior carer work permits will be granted by the UK Border Agency. The uncertainty of the effects of the implementation of the New Points Based System in September 2008 has resulted in chaos within the healthcare sector.
Care providers have been faced with their overseas senior carers staff worried that their work permits which are due to expire after September 2008 may never be renewed. This has led to many renewing their work permits before their expiry and in some cases up to 12 months before the expiry of the work permit. The future for overseas senior carers still hangs in the balance.
Aston Brooke Solicitors who spearheaded the judicial review to force the Secretary of State to implement change has continued to fight the corner for the healthcare sector. Mr Martin Green, Chief Executive of ECCA who Aston Brooke is representing in the judicial review commented that:
“The issue of the senior carers has by no means been resolved. Mr Majeed of Aston Brooke Solicitors had to fight to ensure that there was change. It is the aim of ECCA to represent the concerns of the sector and keep up the momentum. It is imperative that during the consultation period agreed between the Secretary of State and Aston Brooke all care providers support ECCA and the judicial review by contacting Mr Majeed to register your interest.”
The legal challenge has been supported by larger corporate groups and one such group is European Care Group. Mr Paul Bates, HR Director has stated:
“I felt that as a larger group we needed to stand together for the benefit of the sector as a whole. We have all been affected by the drastic u-turn taken by the UK Border Agency in revising their policies relating to all our overseas senior carer.
“UK BORDER AGENCY SETS UP INTELLIGENCE UNITS TO MONITOR CARE PROVIDERS”
3rd May 2008
Aston Brooke has found that many employers are failing in their legal responsibilities to ensure that they are employing legal overseas workers. This is becoming an increasing problem and one that needs to be addressed NOW.
The UK Border Agency has set up Intelligence Units around the country to monitor care providers to ensure they are employing staff who have the right to work in the UK. In 2007, the UK Border Agency recruited 800 compliance officers to visit care providers to undertake the same agenda. Aston Brooke has set out to assist employers in complying with their legal obligations by setting up a definitive guide detailing what employers should be looking for before and after they employ new overseas staff. In order to get a copy please contact Aston Brooke.
It is also important to note that senior carers are still facing deportation from the UK. There have been many cases where Aston Brooke have intervened and saved many senior carers being removed with their young families. It is imperative that if you are a senior carer whose work permit has expired you need to contact us in order to regularise your stay in the UK.
“SENIOR CARERS TO BE PLACED IN TIER 3 OF THE NEW POINTS BASED SYSTEM”
28 March 2008
Aston Brooke Solicitors have been informed that senior carer work permits may possibly be placed in Tier 3 of the Secretary of States new Australian style points based system. The BIA has indicated that there is a strong possibility that the next step would be to set up the Tier 3 with senior carers in mind.
The introduction of Tier 3 is at an infancy stage but if the senior carer position was included this would mean that work permits could once again be granted for senior carers.
Aston Brooke was party to the sector panel meeting which included ECCA, NCA, UNISON, RNHA and Skills for Care in February 2008 when the issue was originally put forward. The meeting was the initiation of the consultation process prompted by the judicial review by Aston Brooke.
Aston Brooke was considering bringing a further judicial review on the basis that the senior carer position should be placed on the shortage occupation list. However, the sector panel members are collating the data which would eventually be put forward to the Migration Advisory Committee. This process has already begun and any employer (whether large corporate body or smaller provider) who can offer support to this cause MUST contact Aston Brooke as soon as possible.
The BIA are taking steps to accommodate the uncertainty of the overseas senior carers by recently announcing that it would exercise discretion and allow those senior carers extension of stay in the UK as work permit holders even though their visas had expired by six months.
This would mean that those senior carers whose work permit and visas have expired can now be rest assured that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I have been working tirelessly to protect the positions of hundreds of senior carers and all the hard work seems to have paid off.
The Border & Immigration Agency (BIA) has confirmed that further new transitional measures will be brought in line with the introduction of Tier 2 of the Points Based System later in 2008.
Mr Martin Green, Chief Executive of ECCA supporting the efforts of Aston Brooke commented that the sector had to fight to ensure that there was change. He stated that the pressure needed to be maintained thus ensuring that this matter would be taken seriously.
Aston Brooke will be running FREE IMMIGRATION SURGERIES for SENIOR CARERS every Monday at 2pm and would urge both overseas workers and employers who have any questions revolving around the new transitional measures, judicial review or any related work permit issues to contact Aston Brooke on the following address:
Aston Brooke Solicitors
2 Gayton Road
Harrow
Middlesex
HA1 2XU
T: 0208 901 7901
F: 0208 901 4115
Email: info@astonbrooke.co.uk
www.astonbrooke.co.uk
Aston Brooke Solicitors invited to speak at the Professional Advice Centre at the Care Show 2008
Your chance to meet Mr Majeed an industry expert who will be on hand to give you FREE personal advice on Immigration Law including the Judicial Review, Work Permits and any other immigration law related issue and how the law affects the care sector.
Pease click here for further information and to arrange a meeting at specified times. 02.01.2008