Here are the government's plans for a new UK points-based immigration system from 1st January 2021, once free movement with the EU ends

What do you need to know?

•

EU and non-EU citizens will be treated equally, save for EU citizens benefitting from a more streamlined application process.

•

The government will not introduce a general low-skilled or temporary work route.

•

Migrants to the UK will have to score 70 points under the new system to qualify for a visa.

•

The skills threshold for roles that can be filled by migrant workers will be reduced to include “medium skilled occupations”.

•

The cap on the number of people able to enter the UK under the skilled worker route will be suspended.

The proposed system includes:

Mandatory characteristics

Offer of job by approved sponsor - 20 points
Job at appropriate skill level - 20 points
Speaks English at required level - 10 points

Optional characteristics

Salary of £23,040 – £25,599 - 10 points
Salary of £25,600 or above - 20 points
Job in a shortage occupation - 20 points
Education qualification: PhD in subject relevant to the job - 10 points
Education qualification: PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job - 20 points

A total of 70 points is required; some characteristics are tradeable, others are mandatory.

Somewhat insultingly, the government claims that it will encourage you to move away from using the UK immigration system to recruit 'cheap labour from Europe' as an alternative to wider investment in staff retention, technology and automation.

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Proposed immigration system

10 Jan

Proposed immigration system

Here are the government's plans for a new UK points-based immigration system from 1st January 2021, once free movement with the EU ends

What do you need to know?

•

EU and non-EU citizens will be treated equally, save for EU citizens benefitting from a more streamlined application process.

•

The government will not introduce a general low-skilled or temporary work route.

•

Migrants to the UK will have to score 70 points under the new system to qualify for a visa.

•

The skills threshold for roles that can be filled by migrant workers will be reduced to include “medium skilled occupations”.

•

The cap on the number of people able to enter the UK under the skilled worker route will be suspended.

The proposed system includes:

Mandatory characteristics

Offer of job by approved sponsor - 20 points
Job at appropriate skill level - 20 points
Speaks English at required level - 10 points

Optional characteristics

Salary of £23,040 – £25,599 - 10 points
Salary of £25,600 or above - 20 points
Job in a shortage occupation - 20 points
Education qualification: PhD in subject relevant to the job - 10 points
Education qualification: PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job - 20 points

A total of 70 points is required; some characteristics are tradeable, others are mandatory.

Somewhat insultingly, the government claims that it will encourage you to move away from using the UK immigration system to recruit 'cheap labour from Europe' as an alternative to wider investment in staff retention, technology and automation.