Immigration Changes for Employers
Before Christmas the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, submitted a five-point plan to reduce immigration, including:
- Raising the minimum skilled worker salary from £26,200 to £38,700.
- Changes to the Shortage Occupation List.
- Care workers visas will not include dependents.
- Increase in the minimum income required for family visas from £18,600 to £38,700.
- Graduate visa review.
We will not detail all of these changes but they can be viewed in the update from the Government here: Changes to legal migration rules for family and work visas in 2024 – House of Commons Library (parliament.uk).
Skilled worker minimum salary increase
Those who are already in the process of obtaining a skilled worker visa and those who are already under this will not be affected and can continue on the lower threshold. Health and Care visas will be exempt from the minimum threshold as well as education workers on national pay-scale occupations.
Employers who regularly rely on sponsoring employees will have to weigh up running their businesses with a reduced staff level if they are unable to replace employees on the same or similar wages or experience a substantial increase in staffing costs at a rate of £12,500 more than was required in 2023 for the same role. Without a large increase in business, employers as well as employees are likely to suffer the effects of the Government’s new plan to limit immigration.
The skilled worker minimum salary increases will occur on 04 April 2024.
The spouse/partner visa minimum income will see its first increase on 11 April 2024 to £29,000 and will finally increase to £38,700 by early 2025.
Shortage Occupation List
The Government have confirmed that employers will not be able to hire immigrant workers at 20% below the going rate for that job if their role is on the UK’s Shortage Occupation List.
In addition, the list has been rebranded as the “Immigration Salary List”, currently in place is an interim Immigration Salary List which comes into force on 04 April 2024 and is set to be reviewed later.
Those already employed from the list are not expected to be affected although employers should keep an eye on these updates and seek advice if this affects them.
Other changes
In addition to the above, the Government have confirmed that care worker visas will not include dependants. Again, this will not affect those already on this visa including those extending their visas.
Care providers who are sponsoring or planning to sponsor care workers should be aware of this change and the implications this might cause.
If you are unsure how these changes might affect your business or have any other employment queries, please contact one of our Employment team on 01246 555 111 or contact:
Amy Hallam
Head of Employment
t: 01246 564012
e: amy.hallam@brmlaw.co.uk
Ellie Leatherday
Associate
t: 01246 564002
e: ellie.leatherday@brmlaw.co.uk
Jade Taylor
Specialist Employment Paralegal
t: 01246 560587
e: jade.taylor@brmlaw.co.uk