WIREDGOV

The UK government yesterday (12 May) published a white paper that sets out its plans to reform the immigration system to be “controlled, selective, and fair”, as stated by the Prime Minister.

At the heart of the white paper is the explicit aim to reduce net migration numbers and for businesses to only use the immigration system to bring in highly skilled talent. Employers will have to show they are investing in UK skills before they will be allowed to bring in workers from overseas.

The implementation time for the changes outlined in the white paper have not been clarified but will take a phased approach, and will be delivered through changes to the Immigration Rules. Government will:

• Raise the skilled visa threshold to RQF6 (graduate level) to reduce increasing numbers of lower-skilled workers coming to the UK, with salary thresholds reflecting the higher skill level. 
• Establish a new Temporary Shortage List where occupations below RQF 6 must be listed on the Temporary Shortage List in order to gain access to the immigration system. The Immigration Salary List which gives people discounts from salary thresholds will be abolished.
• Launch new requirements for workforce strategies for key sectors where there are high levels of recruitment from abroad. Government will only permit use of the immigration system on a time limited basis where the Migration Advisory Committee, an independent, non-statutory public body that sits within the Home Office, has advised it is justified such as where employers seeking to recruit from abroad are committed to playing their part in increasing recruitment from the domestic workforce.
• Establish the Labour Market Evidence Group to inform understanding of where sectors are overly reliant on overseas labour and reverse under-investment in domestic skills. The LME Group will be comprised of: The Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, who are encouraged to focus on domestic recruitment and training; the Department for Work and Pensions, tasked with reducing economic inactivity and increasing workforce participation; Skills England and equivalent organisations in the Devolved Governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; and the Migration Advisory Committee which will guide immigration policy.
• Close the social care visa route to overseas recruitment.
• Increase the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) for the first time since its introduction in 2017, by 32% to bring it in line with inflation.
• Increase English language requirements for visa holders and dependants.
• Reduce the ability for graduates to remain in the UK after their studies to a period of 18 months. Government will also strengthen the requirements that all sponsoring institutions must meet in order to recruit international students. Government will explore introducing a levy on higher education provider income from international students, to be reinvested into the higher education and skills system. Further details will be set out in the Autumn Budget.

Click here for the full press release