Changes to UK Immigration will make it difficult for employers to recruit highly skilled professionals

Speaking to the Recruiter a partner of the law firm Irwin Mitchell, John Hayes, said that “This cap of 1,000 visas could potentially make it very difficult for highly skilled migrant workers to obtain a visa to enter the UK to work. The limit is likely to be seen as an arbitrary number by employers and as a real barrier to recruiting the workers that employers want. Our clients already see the cap as a huge practical problem. While the outline of the measures has been announced we are yet to find out the detail of how the replacement Tier 1 visa will work in practice. We do know that all applicants for these new ‘exceptional talent’ visas will need to be endorsed by an ‘accredited competent body’ that will vouch for the applicant’s exceptional skill in their chosen field. The skills benchmark for applicants is likely to be very high. We also know that those who do receive these visas will be exempt, initially, from the Tier 1 English language and maintenance restrictions, which makes them all the more attractive. The government has made it clear that they are targeting a net decrease in immigration to the UK and so recruiters and employers should keep a keen eye out for further developments that may well affect their ability to bring non-EU workers into the UK to their organisations or as candidates for roles. It should be noted that those already in the UK on other Tier skilled worker visas who wish to switch to a Tier 1 general visa should apply now as the deadline for such applications is 5 April.”

Commonwealth Contractors

Commonwealth Contractors is a collection of highly skilled professionals from the Commonwealth and beyond. We partner with OISC Registered Immigration Partners capable of professionally representing a Tier 1 Visa Application / Extension and Tier 2 Licensed Consultancy & Associated Trust Partners who may be prepared, where required, to sponsor a doctor on a Tier 2 Visa (formerly UK Work Permit). Commonwealth Contractors also provides updates on UK Immigration News.

To find out more call Commonwealth Contractors now on 0330 390 9021 or Submit your Details and we will get back to you. Please be prepared to send a copy of a recent CV so that we can pass to interested partners