Recent changes to employing migrants

There have been recent and far reaching changes to immigration law and the points based system which allows migrants different routes into the United Kingdom to work.

The UK Border Agency has introduced an annual limit from 6 April 2011 until 5 April 2012 of 20,700 for skilled workers. These are now known as restricted certificates of sponsorship and an employer who has a sponsor licence to sponsor migrants will need to go through the monthly allocation process in order to be able to issue the certificate of sponsorship (after meeting all of the necessary requirements). The limit does not apply to intra company transfers for multi- national organisations wishing to transfer existing staff to the United Kingdom, nor does it apply to unrestricted certificates of sponsorship where the foreign national employee is earning £150,000 per year or more.

The UK Border Agency has also shaken up the requirements for entrepreneurs and investors; this means that people who want to come to the UK under Tier 1 investor or entrepreneur categories are able to settle in this country in either three years or two years, depending on the amount of investment, or for entrepreneurs, the number of jobs created. Under the Tier 1 entrepreneur category, the Government also allows high potential businesses to come to the UK with an investment of £50,000 in funding from a reputable organisation, with the standard investment remaining at £200,000.

Ashlee Campbell
ashlee.campbell@birkettlong.co.uk