UK Immigration Advice Authority issues annual report
The Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) in the United Kingdom has published its first Annual Report, covering the 2024/25 financial year, and signaled a significantly tougher regulatory and enforcement approach in immigration advice. The report highlights a marked increase in audits, investigations into unregulated advisers, and criminal prosecutions for illegal immigration advice, and indicates that the IAA will expand proactive oversight of corporate immigration teams and service providers offering visa-related guidance without proper registration. The Authority also reported a large number of new adviser applications and plans to introduce mandatory continuous professional development for registered advisers in April 2026. Looking ahead, the IAA set priorities for greater whistle-blower support, public watch lists of rogue advisers, and collaboration with other agencies to tackle linked issues such as tax fraud, underscoring an intensified compliance environment for employers and advisers involved in immigration services.