Ilda de Sousa

Recent Work

Includes advising:

• A large corporate on the steps they need to take after they discovered one of their subsidiary office’s failed to report a TUPE transfer to the Home Office within the required time frame and then let their sponsor licence lapse resulting in the curtailment of a Skilled Worker sponsored migrant’s leave.
• A very senior executive who had encountered many difficulties entering the UK because Immigration Officers at port refused to recognise him as a returning resident to the UK after having acquired indefinite leave to remain more than 30 years ago.
• A prominent organisation whose sponsor licence had been suspended as a result of a recent audit from the Home Office.
• A non- EEA national spouse following the refusal of her application for permanent residence which resulted in her passport being held by the Home Office Enforcement Unit.
• A large multinational corporation who received a notification from the Border Force wanting to impose a civil penalty due to suspected illegal employment.
• Advising multinational corporations in respect of their EEA nationals’ right to reside in the UK post-Brexit and, alongside our external partners, British nationals working elsewhere in Europe.

What Clients & Directories Say

“Ilda is proactive, knowledgeable and really understands our business.” – Chambers and Partners, 2025

“Emma Dauriac and Ilda De Sousa are both extremely knowledgeable and helpful. They are quick to respond and are always willing to help.” – Legal 500, 2025

“Ilda de Sousa and Emma Dauriac are friendly to work with and always gives strong advice and support.” – Legal 500, 2025

“Great client service to our employees and the business. Whenever there is an issue with the Home Office/UKVI they are quick to communicate and request resolution. No bureaucracy. Very clear and transparent. Ilda de Sousa and Robert Houchill are phenomenal to work with.” – Legal 500, 2025

“Ilda is a very professional person, who is attentive to our requests and problems. She provides us with concrete solutions and is a source of ideas.” – Chambers UK, 2024

“We very much value her exceptional knowledge and high degree of client focus.” – Chambers UK, 2024

“Ilda de Sousa is able to draw on extensive experience to advise clients on complex Tier 2 sponsor registrations and compliance issues. She continues to represent an impressive range of domestic and international businesses.” – Chambers UK

“She is professional and highly skilled, a joy to deal with.” – Chambers UK

“Ilda de Sousa is well versed in handling a range of complex immigration matters, such as resubmissions of Tier 2 applications following refusals.” – Chambers UK

“Ilda de Sousa “is calm, professional” and very easy to work with and regularly acts for investors, entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals.” – Legal 500

“Sources say Ilda de Sousa is an excellent technical and commercial lawyer who goes above and beyond to provide an effective and helpful service.” – Chambers UK

“An outstanding immigration lawyer with impressive breadth and depth of knowledge in the area.” – Who’s Who Legal

“I have worked alongside Ilda and she has excellent extensive knowledge of immigration law, Tier 1 and the points based system specifically. Her professional approach, combined with a personalised service is a pleasure to receive – by clients and third parties alike.” – Citywealth Leaders List

“She is an absolute expert in the field and I have full faith in her and her team’s capabilities.” – Chambers UK, A Client’s Guide to the UK Legal Profession

Press articles and quotes

Ilda frequently writes for and is quoted in the press. These include:

• Whichever party wins the election must sort our tech visa system – UKTN, June 2024
• What the UK’s top entrepreneurs want from the visa system after Brexit, Forbes, 20 September 2019
• Brexit: business anxiety over freedom of movement U-turn, Relocate Global, 20 August 2019
• Letter to editor: Polo team staff shortages are just the beginning, Financial Times, 15 May 2018
• Post-Brexit visas for financial staff face red tape snarls, Law 360, 21 October 2016
• Migration advisers urge ministers to curb flow of skilled workers, Financial Times, 19 January 2016

Professional Societies & Memberships

• Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA)
• International Bar Association (IBA)
• Listed as a Citywealth Leader in Immigration

Further information

Ilda has a Bachelor’s degree in Jurisprudence along with an LLB degree from the University of the North West in South Africa. She was initially admitted to practice as a South African attorney in 1999 and later qualified as a solicitor before being made partner in 2013. Ilda speaks Portuguese and Afrikaans.