The Statement Of Changes: What You Need To Know
Oct 07 2019
UK Immigration
On 9 September 2019 the Home Office published a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules. As a result, there have been some significant changes to the Immigration Rules which will come into effect between 1 October 2019 and 6 October 2019.
This blog covers changes to the work routes, with particular focus on the Shortage Occupation list and how this will affect future employers as well as employees.
Shortage Occupation List
The Shortage Occupation List sets out various job roles for which there are not enough British or settled workers in the UK to fill the available vacancies.
Jobs which fall under the Shortage Occupation List will be exempt from the Resident Labour Market Test and are usually given priority within the Tier 2 (General) annual limit. In addition, these jobs will be exempt from the relevant Tier 2 salary threshold when applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
The recent Statement of Changes has implemented the following changes to the Shortage Occupation List:
Tier 1 Exceptional Talent
This route is designed to attract migrants who are exceptionally talented in the fields of Science, Humanities, Engineering, Medicine, Digital Technology or the Arts.
Applicants must first secure an endorsement from a specified Endorsing Body before applying for the relevant visa.
Whilst bodies such as The Royal Society, The Royal Academy of Engineering and The British Academy have reviewed their processes and requirements to be more generous, it would seem that Tech Nation has implemented more onerous and stringent conditions.
Tier 5 Migrants
The Tier 5 route is designed for temporary migrants who intend to reside and work in the UK for a short time.
The Home Office has implemented certain changes to this route, making it more accessible:
What is clear from the recent Statement of Changes is that the Home Office has taken active steps towards making certain immigration routes within the Points Based System more accessible and friendly to migrants who intend to secure employment in the UK.
If you have any queries or questions relating to the impending changes to any of the Points Based System routes, please do not hesitate to contact us.
The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please don’t hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.
©Gherson 2019
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