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28 Oct 2026
UK Immigration Rules HC 584

UK Immigration Rules HC 584: Visitor and Erasmus+ Changes

Categories Uk, Visa Updates

The UK Immigration Rules HC 584 package, published by the Home Office on 3 September 2026, has now taken effect for most of its changes, with the main provisions applying to applications and entries from 8 October 2026, according to a Lewis Silkin summary. The package widens what visitors can do in the UK, adds Erasmus+ to the rules and tightens how the system treats people who have previously frustrated immigration controls. The official statement is listed on GOV.UK, which shows it was last updated on 22 October 2026 without explaining why.

Contents

Visitor rules now more permissive

Lewis Silkin reports that for visa applications or entries on or after 8 October 2026, all visitors may take part in workshops and debates and attend skills competitions. Visitors who come to train in the UK no longer have to show the training is unavailable in their home country. Visiting artists, entertainers and musicians may attend rehearsals as well as performances, and a new “entertainment staff” definition lets people employed outside the UK by a visiting performer assist with the same creative activities.

Erasmus+ enters the Immigration Rules

For applications made on or after 8 October 2026, Erasmus+ is added to the Government Authorised Exchange requirements, according to the same summary. A new visitor activity category, “Erasmus+ activities”, covers programme-related training, education and work experience. Visitors on an Erasmus+ project may study at UK state-funded schools and academies for up to six months, subject to child safeguarding and other eligibility requirements, and students on Erasmus+ courses can be sponsored whether or not the course leads to an approved qualification. Lewis Silkin states that the UK rejoins Erasmus+ on 1 January 2027, which is when these provisions are designed to operate.

Where the rules tighten

Two changes point the other way. In-country applicants who have previously frustrated immigration controls, for example by failing to report for or absconding from bail, will be treated as having breached immigration law, which aligns in-country refusals with entry clearance. And for variation applications made on or after 8 October 2026, biometrics must be enrolled by the deadline for the previous application, leaving a single enrolment period. A further change lets Skilled Workers recognised as modern slavery victims, through a positive Conclusive Grounds decision, take other work for the rest of their visa; professional sport and sports coaching stay barred and the public funds restriction is unchanged. Lewis Silkin notes the Home Office has not yet published how that process will work.

What it looks like for a student

As an illustration, not a real case: a Brazilian university student whose home institution joins an Erasmus+ project with a UK partner would, from 2027, fall under the new Erasmus+ activities category rather than a general visitor route. They should confirm the exact route, fees and documents with the sponsor and with GOV.UK before booking travel. Students planning longer study should also see our guide to the UK student visa funds increase and use the visa eligibility checker to plan a route.

What happens next

The Home Office will need to publish guidance on the modern slavery work process, and the Erasmus+ provisions are tied to the 1 January 2027 start. Other dated items in the package, such as later student maintenance changes, should be checked against the primary statement before you rely on them; we did not verify them against the statement’s PDF for this report.

Questions on HC 584

When did HC 584 take effect?

Most changes apply to applications or entries from 8 October 2026, according to Lewis Silkin. The statement itself was published on 3 September 2026.

What can visitors now do?

Attend workshops, debates and skills competitions; trainees no longer need to show training is unavailable at home; artists may attend rehearsals.

When does the UK rejoin Erasmus+?

Lewis Silkin states 1 January 2027.

Is there a new Erasmus+ visa route?

There is a new visitor activity category called Erasmus+ activities, plus changes to the Government Authorised Exchange rules.

Who is affected by the biometrics change?

People making variation applications on or after 8 October 2026, who now get a single enrolment period tied to the earlier application’s deadline.

Where is the official text?

On GOV.UK under Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules HC 584.

Sources

Image: Palace of Westminster clock tower by Diliff, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

26 Oct 2026
2027 National Planning Level

Australia Holds 2027 International Student Level at 295,000

Categories Immigration, Study Abroad

Australia has confirmed its 2027 National Planning Level for international students at 295,000 new commencements, the same figure as 2026, according to an announcement published by Study Australia on 15 July 2026. The government says no active education provider will receive a lower allocation in 2027 than in 2026. The level is a planning tool and not a legal cap, but it still shapes how quickly student visas are processed, so it matters to anyone planning a 2027 intake.

In this report

What was announced

The figure is 295,000 new overseas student commencements (NOSCs), unchanged from 2026. The Study Australia page, which republishes the settings from the Department of Education’s announcement on the managed system for international education, says provider allocations will not fall for any active provider. We read the Study Australia page, not the department’s own page, so check the department site for the wording of record.

The government stresses that the level is “not a cap or a limit on student numbers”. It is the number used to plan the size of the international education program, and each provider is given an allocation within it.

How the 80% rule affects visa processing

The practical effect comes through processing priority. According to the announcement, student visa applications are Priority 1 until the chosen provider reaches 80% of its commencement allocation. After that point, applications are still accepted but are processed more slowly. Genuine students who meet student visa requirements can still apply and be granted a visa.

That means timing and choice of provider both matter. An application to a provider that has used most of its allocation can take longer than one to a provider with room left, even when the applicant is equally well qualified.

What it means for applicants

Consider a hypothetical example. Priya is an Indian student planning a master’s course starting in 2027. If she applies early to a provider that is still under 80% of its allocation, her visa application sits in the fastest queue. If she waits until late in the intake cycle, the same application could be processed more slowly. Nothing in the announcement says she would be refused for that reason.

The planning level also sits alongside other Australian changes we have covered, including the student visa changes from 2 October 2026, the 25 percent rise in visa application charges and the Ministerial Direction 123 character-test changes. If you are comparing destinations, our visa eligibility checker can help you check the route before you pay a deposit.

What the announcement does not say

The page we read does not give a sector breakdown of the 295,000 figure, does not change visa fees, and does not list allocation or application dates for 2027. Those details may appear elsewhere, but we have not seen them and do not report them. Treat any third-party claim about sector splits as unverified until the department publishes it.

What happens next

Providers will use their 2027 allocations as they manage offers and enrolments. Applicants should ask their chosen provider how much of its allocation is committed, apply early, and keep an eye on official departmental updates. Tamara News will update this story if the government changes the level or the processing rules.

Questions on the 2027 planning level

What is the 2027 National Planning Level?

295,000 new overseas student commencements, unchanged from 2026, according to the announcement published on Study Australia on 15 July 2026.

Is it a cap on student numbers?

No. The announcement says it is not a cap or a limit on student numbers. It is a planning level for managing the size of the program.

Will any provider get less than in 2026?

The announcement says no active provider will receive a lower allocation in 2027 than in 2026.

What is the 80% rule?

Student visa applications are Priority 1 until the chosen provider reaches 80% of its commencement allocation. After that they are still accepted but processed more slowly.

Can I still get a visa if my provider is near its allocation?

The announcement says genuine students who meet student visa requirements can still apply and be granted a visa.

Does the announcement change visa fees?

The page we read does not mention any fee change.

Sources

26 Oct 2026
Germany Kenntnisprüfung

Germany Makes Knowledge Exam the Default for Foreign Doctors

Categories Germany, Work Permits

From 1 November 2026, the Germany Kenntnisprüfung for foreign doctors becomes the standard route to a licence for applicants with degrees from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, according to a summary by the study-prep provider Klinikfuchs. The Kenntnisprüfung is a knowledge examination. It replaces the default of a document-by-document equivalence check. The change comes from a federal law to speed up recognition of foreign health qualifications, and applications filed by 31 October 2026 stay under the old rules, so the next few days matter.

In this report

What the law changes

The Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) describes the act in its FAQ on the recognition law as a way to make recognition faster and more transparent while keeping patient-safety standards unchanged. The ministry says the knowledge test becomes the default (“Regelfall”). It calls the test a licensing exam that applies the same standards to everyone and does not focus on an individual applicant’s specific gaps.

The document-based equivalence check does not disappear. The BMG says it remains available if an applicant explicitly chooses it. That check compares a foreign qualification with German training and looks for significant differences. Klinikfuchs adds that the choice must be made within four weeks of applying and then binds the whole procedure, and that applicants with significant differences still end up taking the Kenntnisprüfung. That detail comes from a commercial provider, so confirm it with your state authority.

Two practical effects are stated by the ministry. Applicants who do not choose the document check no longer need to submit, translate or certify documents such as course curricula. And the German states (Länder) may in future test the language skills of third-country applicants before their professional qualification is assessed.

The dates that decide which rules apply

Klinikfuchs reports that the Bundestag passed the act on 26 March 2026 and the Bundesrat on 8 May 2026, that it was published in the Federal Law Gazette on 28 July 2026 (BGBl. 2026 I Nr. 225), and that it takes effect on 1 November 2026. The BMG’s FAQ page, as we read it, does not itself state the commencement date, so we are attributing the date to the law-gazette reference given by Klinikfuchs and by the law firm FMR Legal.

The transition rule is the part that matters most this week. Klinikfuchs says the application date decides, not nationality: applications submitted by 31 October 2026 stay under the old law, where the authority first assesses equivalence from your documents and requires the Kenntnisprüfung if equivalence is not established or cannot be fully assessed. Anything filed from 1 November follows the new default.

Who is affected

Klinikfuchs covers only doctors. FMR Legal, also a commercial source, says the standard knowledge-exam route applies to physicians, dentists, pharmacists and midwives. Applicants with EU, EEA or Swiss degrees are treated differently: Klinikfuchs says they do not take the Kenntnisprüfung, and substantial differences are addressed through an aptitude test instead. The BMG adds that for those qualifications the professional check still comes before any language check, as EU law requires.

Consider a hypothetical example. Ngozi is a Nigerian doctor with a medical degree from outside the EU who is preparing documents for a German licence. If she files by 31 October, the authority starts with a paper comparison of her training. If she files in November, the exam becomes her default path and she may not need to translate curricula at all. Neither outcome is better in every case; it depends on how complete her paperwork is and how ready she is to sit the exam.

What applicants can do now

First, find the licensing authority for the state where you plan to work, since the BMG notes the Länder run these procedures. Second, ask it in writing which rules apply to your file and whether the state is offering exam dates under the new system. Third, if you are a doctor from a third country weighing a move, compare Germany with other routes on our visa eligibility checker. Germany also appears in our coverage of German PhD scholarship deadlines, and for readers choosing between European destinations, see our report on ETIAS and EES border rules.

What happens next

The law takes effect on 1 November, and how quickly state authorities can schedule exams will determine whether the promised speed-up reaches applicants. The BMG estimates roughly 16 million euros in annual savings from reduced bureaucracy, about 12 million euros and 7,000 hours for applicants and about 3.9 million euros for the states. Those are the ministry’s own estimates. Tamara News will report if the Länder publish exam calendars or if the transition rules change.

Questions on the Kenntnisprüfung change

What is the Kenntnisprüfung?

It is a knowledge examination the BMG describes as a licensing exam applying the same standards to everyone. From 1 November 2026 it becomes the default route to recognition for third-country qualifications.

Does the equivalence check still exist?

Yes. The BMG says it remains available if the applicant explicitly chooses it. Klinikfuchs says the choice must be made within four weeks of applying.

Which applications stay under the old rules?

According to Klinikfuchs, applications submitted by 31 October 2026.

Do EU, EEA or Swiss graduates take the exam?

Klinikfuchs says no. Substantial differences are addressed through an aptitude test instead.

Will I still need translated curricula?

The BMG says applicants who do not choose the document-based check no longer need to submit, translate or certify documents such as curricula.

Who decides my case?

The licensing authority of the German state. Klinikfuchs notes its decision is binding, so confirm details with it directly.

Sources

25 Oct 2026
Saudi property ownership

Saudi Arabia Sets Property Rules for Foreign Companies

Categories Business, Immigration

Saudi Arabia’s Investor Guide 2026 adds a dedicated chapter on Saudi property ownership for foreign companies, setting out the documents a non-resident foreign company must provide. Gulf News reported the document list, which it attributes to the Okaz newspaper, with its page last updated on 6 June 2026. This is an explainer rather than breaking news, and the effective date is not stated in the report we read.

Contents

What the guide adds

According to Gulf News, the Ministry of Investment says the new chapter gives “greater clarity for foreign entities”. The rules are published on the ministry’s electronic platform, and the report does not give fees, thresholds or statistics. The specific document requirements are attributed to Okaz, not quoted directly from the guide, so read the guide on the Ministry of Investment site before you rely on any detail.

Documents foreign companies must provide

As reported, applicants must provide a commercial registration certificate issued in their home country, and articles of incorporation translated by accredited translators and authenticated through Saudi diplomatic channels. They also need documents authorising a representative to act in Saudi Arabia, and an individual representative appointed through a certified power of attorney. A company without a recognised identification document can obtain a digital identity through Saudi diplomatic missions abroad. For annual renewals, the company must confirm that ownership and management have not changed since registration with the Ministry of Investment.

Who it applies to

The report says the chapter concerns non-resident foreign companies that want to own property in Saudi Arabia without establishing or carrying on economic activity there. It does not describe the rules for a company that sets up an operating branch or subsidiary, which follow a separate licensing route.

A worked example

Consider a hypothetical case. Camila is a Brazilian founder whose holding company wants to buy an office unit in Riyadh as an investment, without hiring staff there. Based on the reported list, she would need her home-country registration certificate, authenticated and translated articles, and a power of attorney naming a representative. Each year she would then confirm that ownership and management had not changed. Whether further approvals apply to the purchase itself is not covered in the report.

What the report does not say

There is no effective date, no fee schedule, and no timeline for processing. The authentication and translation steps can take time in the home country, so allow for them early. Other Gulf markets have been moving on investor rules too, and our coverage of Kuwait’s 15-year investor residency and Oman’s free zone regulations gives context for comparing them. If you are planning a cross-border structure, see our company formation services page.

For founders, the practical lesson is to treat the document chain as a project of its own. Authentication through diplomatic channels depends on the home country, so a missing apostille-style step can delay everything else. Keep certified copies current, make sure the translator is accredited as the report requires, and confirm the power of attorney names the right individual. Gulf News also notes the guide is aimed at clarity for foreign entities, which suggests the ministry expects more such filings, but the report gives no numbers to back that up.

Saudi foreign-company questions

What is new in Saudi Arabia’s Investor Guide 2026?

A dedicated chapter on property ownership by foreign companies, according to Gulf News.

Who must follow these steps?

Non-resident foreign companies seeking to own property without setting up or carrying on economic activity in Saudi Arabia.

What documents are required?

A home-country commercial registration certificate, authenticated and translated articles, authorisation documents and a certified power of attorney for an individual representative.

Do companies need to renew?

Yes, annually, with confirmation that ownership and management have not changed.

When did the rules take effect?

The report we read does not state an effective date.

Where are the official rules?

On the Ministry of Investment’s electronic platform. Check it directly before filing.

Sources

25 Oct 2026
Ministerial Direction 123

Australia’s Visa Character Test Tightens on 31 October

Categories Immigration, Visa Updates

Australia’s new Ministerial Direction 123 takes effect on 31 October 2026 and changes how decision-makers weigh character when they consider refusing or cancelling a visa. It replaces Direction 110. Law firm summaries say it lowers the future-risk threshold, moves a person’s ties to Australia down the list of considerations, and adds a hatred and extremism ground. It targets character decisions, not routine skilled or student applications.

Contents

What Direction 123 replaces

A ministerial direction tells decision-makers how to weigh factors when the law gives them discretion. According to Clark Hill’s September APAC recap, Direction 123 replaces Direction 110 for character decisions under sections 501 and 501CA of the Migration Act. Separate directions, 121 and 122, set processing priorities for skilled visas from 19 September 2026, and those are a different matter from this one.

The main changes

Clark Hill lists these changes: primary considerations fall from five to four, ties to Australia become a secondary consideration, a new hatred and extremism character ground is added at section 501(6)(baa), and the future-conduct threshold moves from “would” or “will” to “might”. The definition of domestic and family violence is broadened to cover image-based abuse, stalking and breaching court orders. The sentence-weighting carve-out is removed, and the impact on Australian business interests is no longer a listed consideration.

AHC Lawyers, in its comparison of Direction 123 and 110, makes the same points and argues the new threshold lowers the Department’s burden of proof. That view comes from a law firm’s marketing article rather than the text of the direction, and the article does not say how pending cases are treated. Read the direction itself on the Department of Home Affairs site or ask a registered migration agent.

Who is and is not affected

Direction 123 applies when a decision-maker is already considering refusal or cancellation on character grounds. A holder with no character concerns does not face a new test simply because the direction exists. The people most exposed are those who have received serious criminal sentences, family violence orders or other adverse findings, and long-term residents who previously relied on their family and community ties.

A worked example

Consider a hypothetical case. Diego, a Mexican welder on a skilled visa, has no criminal record and a clean history. Nothing in Direction 123 changes his application. A different visa holder who has lived in Australia for decades and receives a serious conviction would find that long residence now carries less weight than it did under Direction 110. The difference lies in the facts of the case, not the nationality.

What visa holders can do

Keep records of any police checks, court outcomes and orders, and disclose them accurately in every application. Misleading answers can cause more harm than the underlying issue. If you hold a visa and have any adverse history, get advice before your next application or renewal. For students affected by other recent changes, see our report on Australia’s 2 October student visa rules, and use the visa eligibility checker to compare routes.

Employers sponsoring staff should note that the direction concerns the individual visa holder, not the sponsor. Even so, a sponsored worker facing a character decision can lose work rights quickly, which affects the business. Both law firms stress that outcomes depend on the specific facts, and that decisions made before 31 October may be handled under the earlier direction, though the sources we read do not confirm transitional detail.

Direction 123 questions

When does Ministerial Direction 123 start?

31 October 2026, replacing Direction 110, according to Clark Hill and AHC Lawyers.

Does it change the rules for ordinary skilled visa applications?

No. It applies to character-based refusal and cancellation decisions, not to standard eligibility criteria.

What does the move from ‘would’ to ‘might’ mean?

Law firms say it lowers the threshold for deciding that a person may engage in unacceptable conduct in the future.

Are ties to Australia still considered?

Yes, but as a secondary rather than a primary consideration, according to the law-firm summaries.

What new ground does it add?

A hatred and extremism character ground under section 501(6)(baa), according to Clark Hill.

Where can I read the direction itself?

On the Department of Home Affairs website, or ask a registered migration agent.

Sources

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