AFB Practice Roundtable: Changes to the UK Visa and Settlement Rules and Their Impact on Employers

The UK Government’s White Paper, ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’, was published in May 2025.  It focused on proposals to change the visa and settlement rules, which are aimed at reducing net migration and strengthening border control.  Some of the White Paper’s proposals have now been implemented, while others are still to come later in 2026.

This in-person roundtable, hosted by Fox Williams, will consider the impact of the new rules to be implemented on non-UK banks and their staff operating in the UK.   

Why attend?

The White Paper signalled a significant tightening and changes to the immigration rules relating to employers and sponsors as well as employees, family members, students and other categories. This roundtable will provide an opportunity to discuss the effects of the new rules with other members and consider the impact of future proposals yet to be implemented.

There will be a focus on:

• the key changes to the rules affecting the recruitment and retention of overseas talent, and changes to the Skilled Worker visa requirements
• sector-specific insights for financial services employers to guide them through the proposals
• practical steps for HR, compliance and legal teams to deal with the proposed increase in compliance obligations for sponsors

AFB will circulate an agenda and a series of discussion points and questions in advance to those registered to attend.

The capacity for this roundtable is limited to 30 members, one person per member bank.  This ensures as many firms as possible can benefit from the discussions.  Please book early to avoid disappointment.

Who should attend?

This session will be valuable for HR leaders, in-house counsel, compliance officers, and senior managers in financial services who have responsibility for recruitment, sponsorship, and workforce planning.

Facilitators

Sacha Schoenfeld, Partner and Head of Immigration team

Sacha works with clients to assist across the full range of immigration matters, with an emphasis on the provision of bespoke and tailored solutions to often complex immigration issues. She has expertise in supporting professional service providers, start-ups, SMEs, making applications for senior and highly specialised individuals, as well as advising on the crucial immigration-related compliance issues that arise in corporate transactions.

She works with businesses of every size to assist with all aspects of the immigration space, from entry and residence to settlement and citizenship. She advises on all business immigration queries, including international secondments, intragroup transfers and regularly assists clients to navigate the practical implications for employers of the frequently changing legislation and rules.

As well as providing strategic immigration planning and assisting with the development of global mobility policy, Sacha regularly advises banks and those in the financial services space on issues relating to their strategy and expansion, including advising their non-UK national staff and assisting with compliance advice and guidance, ranging from employment authorisation to right to work legislation to Home Office compliance audits.

Please note you will receive a confirmation of your booking via email within 24 hours. Should you not receive a confirmation, please contact AFB to double-check if your booking was successful.

Logistics

Fee:          Included in AFB membership

Location:  Fox Williams, 10 Finsbury Square, London, EC2A 1AF

Date:        Tuesday 02 June 2026

Time:        08:30 – 10:30 (registration, networking, and refreshments from 08:30 – 09.00)

If you would like to submit a question before or have any areas that you would like the session to address, please send them to the AFB at secretariat@foreignbanks.org.uk.

You will receive final event details a week before the event.

Please note that you will only be deemed to have attended (for CPD points) if you have made yourself known at registration and attend 50% or more of the session.