Employers in the UK are rushing to submit skilled worker visa applications in a mad dash before upcoming changes to immigration laws take effect in April. The changes that the government of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is proposing are expected to drive up the expenses of recruiting foreign workers.
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A Financial Times story claims that immigration attorneys are reporting that some of their clients are pulling back employment offers because they anticipate that the salary requirements for skilled worker visas will increase. This is on top of recent hikes in National Health Service (NHS) costs for employees working abroad. Companies are expediting hiring plans and renewing current visas in order to manage the impending changes and maintain their current status before costs escalate. As part of a larger campaign against labor abuses and visa fraud, the Home Office is also stepping up its scrutiny of employers.
The head of business immigration at Kingsley Napley, Nicolas Rollason, told FT that there was a “last-minute rush to get in under the wire.” The Home Office asserts that all applications for certificates of sponsorship that meet government requirements are processed within the stated service timelines, notwithstanding complaints of delays.
Concerns and ambiguities regarding the upcoming regulations have also been voiced by employers. Prior to this, Home Secretary James Cleverly had declared that starting in April, the minimum wage for skilled worker visas would increase from £26,200 to £38,700. This increase may have a particularly negative effect on the hospitality and manufacturing industries, possibly leading to job losses.
Employers in the UK and businesses are having to reconsider their recruitment strategies due to the intricacy of the new regulations. Several professions will be impacted as the salary threshold for skilled worker visas is expected to increase.
To deter over-reliance on migration, the Home Office intends to match salaries with the average full-time earnings for each occupation. This change may have a disproportionately negative effect on lower-paid positions, possibly restricting the visa system to senior employees and high-paying London companies.
Professional services companies are also facing difficulties as a result of the changes, particularly those that hire foreign students from UK universities. Concerns are raised in several industries, including accounting and consulting, about having to pay foreign students much more than their British counterparts after a few years on the job, even with possible discounts.
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