The UK is clamping down on immigration to control the number of people entering the country while still allowing skilled workers to enter the country for key sectors. Lets understand how this will affect different groups of professionals.
What is the reason behind this change?
Immigration Officers believe that immigration in is “far too high” than it should be. Net migration (the number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants) was provisionally estimated to be 745,000 in the 12 months ending on 31 December 2022 leading to problems like the housing crisis, rise in unemployment rates and much more.
Family and Dependant Visas
The government plans to replace the current Shortage Occupation Lists (SOLs) with Immigration Salary Lists (ISLs). The ISLs will eliminate the 20% discount on the minimum wage for shortage occupation roles. However, it is understood that the general salary threshold discount is maintained.
This change combined with the Migration Advisory Committee’s review may affect industries like technology, engineering, and construction. As a result, employers should expect to see a decrease in the number of jobs on the list, which could affect recruitment efforts in particular industries adding more problems to sectors like construction as there already is a shortage of workers.
Conclusion
A recent announcement by the Home Secretary marks a major change in the UK’s immigration policy, as it seeks to balance controlling immigration levels with tackling skills shortages. Further information will be available once the government publishes a Statement of Changes on the Immigration Rules.
References:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-secretary-unveils-plan-to-cut-net-migration
