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Net rise in migration

Jonathan Winston Jonathan Winston
2 min read

The government has renewed its commitment to cut immigration into the UK as new figures show that less people are leaving the country than at any time in the past decade.

The figures, from the Office for National Statistics, showed that 140,000 British citizens left these shores in 2009, down from 173,000 the year before, which has contributed to the figure for net migration into the UK rising to 215,000 in the year to March. The news will be a disappointment to the government which is looking to cut net migration by tens of thousands by 2015.

Home Secretary Theresa May has said that to achieve that objective, all areas of entry, including student, work and family visas will be explored to see where cuts in numbers can be made. From next year the number of migrant workers coming to the UK from outside of the EU will be cut by a fifth and capped at 21,700. The government also intends to take steps to limit entry to those students coming to study for a course below degree level and it will clamp down on those who try and “play the system” by using the study route as a way of staying on in the UK.

The government has also said that family visas will be more selective in the future with a minimum standard of English being required for those applying for marriage visas.

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We recently used Winston Solicitors for conveyancing on both the sale of our previous home and the purchase of our new one. Michelle Ayres was exceptional throughout. She was accessible, proactive, and it genuinely felt like she was on our side and working in our best interests.There were a few challenges in the chain, but Michelle was always willing to take the time to explain the situation, outline our options, and keep everything moving. As our process stretched over 6 months, there were times when Michelle was out of the office, but Olivia Cooke and Samantha Robertson-Strong seamlessly picked things up and ensured nothing ever slipped.It was an outstanding experience that made a difficult and often stressful process far more manageable. We would highly recommend Winston Solicitors and especially Michelle to anyone, and we will certainly look to use their services again in future (although we plan to enjoy our new home and give ourselves a well earned break for now!).
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The service I recieved regarding wills and powers of attourney, were handled in a very professional and sympathetic manner. Thanks must go to Monika for leading me through the" legal minefield" involved. My late wife and I originally used Winstons years ago for all our legal dealings at the time and we could honestly say we could not have chosen better.
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Samantha was excellent at helping us secure our house. She was extremely responsive, organised and thorough in her work.I would recommend her and Winston solicitors to anyone.
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Amr and Joe recently acted for me on the sale and purchase of properties. They were both very professional, responsive and promptly dealt with any enquiries. My experience with Winstons was really positive having used other firms for previous transactions. I would definitely recommend to family and friends!
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I purchased my first house through Winston Solicitors. The experience I had from start to finish was amazing. I will definitely recommend Winston Solicitors to my family and friends and will be using them again in the future.
Aruna
Samantha Robertson-Strong has dealt with the conveyancing for the sale of my property and purchase of a new home. Throughout the process of selling Samantha dealt with queries from the buyers promptly and professionally. This included one particular hiccup, that threatened to delay and complicate matters, by simply advising on a point of law that the buyer’s solicitor was seemingly not aware of.The purchase of our new home was dealt with in a similar manner, no stone left unturned, fast paced and with regular up dates on which stage we had reached. We felt well informed and in good hands throughout the process.Fast to respond, no flannel and an in-depth knowledge of property law Samantha is exceptional and I would recommend her services to anyone about to buy or sell a property.
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