On 1st January 2021, the UK launched a new, points-based style immigration system to bring EU immigration into line with the rest of the world. The UK has a world-leading education sector and will continue to welcome the talented and high potential students to universities, further education and English language colleges, and independent schools.
There will be no limit on the number of international students who can come to the UK to study, and the UK immigration will seek to increase the number of international students in higher education. We are also making it easier for the best international graduates to secure skilled jobs in the UK and contribute to the UK’s economic growth with our new Graduate visa. It will allow international students who have completed undergraduate and master’s degrees in the UK to stay for two years and those who have completed a PhD to stay for three years.
If you are an employer, here’s what you need to know about the new immigration regime and how you can recruit talent from overseas.
The Skilled Worker visa is the most common route for skilled workers seeking employment in the United Kingdom. Applicants must have an offer letter from a UK business with a valid Skilled Worker sponsorship licence in order to apply for this visa. In a UK skilled migration program, holders of the Skilled Worker visa can bring their dependents to the UK. Following their initial arrival to the United Kingdom, such migrants are qualified to apply for residence (Indefinite Leave to Remain) after 5 years and citizenship after 6 years.
What is a points-based immigration system?
The new system stops free movement between the EU and the UK and replaces it with a 'points-based' system similar to that used in Australia.
Anyone travelling to the UK for employment purposes, regardless of where they are from, must complete a series of standards for which they will be given points. Those who get enough points are granted work visas.
How are points scored?
Anyone coming to the country under the ‘skilled worker route’ must demonstrate that they have a job offer from a Home Office licensed sponsor (more on that later), which is at the required skill level or above.
The job offer must also meet the applicable minimum salary threshold (currently, the higher of either the general salary threshold of £25,600, or the specific salary requirement for their occupation, known as the ‘going rate’).
If the applicant's pay falls short of the minimum, they can "swap attributes" for more points. This may include a job offer in a specific shortage occupation, a PhD relevant to the job, or a PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job.
Applicants must also speak English to the required standard.
What you need to do as an employer?
Employers must have a sponsor licence to hire workers from outside the UK. Without one, they may be breaking the law.
The standard processing time is around eight weeks, so you should prepare your application well ahead of recruitment.
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