Britain, in most likelihood, will close doors to low-skilled labour and require all skilled workers, who wish to migrate to the country to have a job offer and meet salary and language requirements as it sets post-Brexit rules from next year.
Home Secretary Priti Patel on Wednesday announced the launch of the UK's new points-based visa system, aimed at attracting the "brightest and the best" from the world, including from India.
One of the reasons, Britain voted for Brexit was to curb the free movement of EU citizens between member states and thus bring down the number of people entering the country.
“Our new immigration system will turn off the tap of cheap, foreign low-skilled labour,” interior minister Priti Patel wrote in The Sun on Sunday newspaper.
“From next year, all skilled workers will need to earn enough points to work in the UK, must speak English, have a firm job offer, and meet the salary requirements,” Patel said.
The new system will come into force from January 1, 2021, at the end of the transition period after the UK''s exit from the European Union last month, which will formally end free movement of people within the economic bloc for the UK as a non-member. The system will apply to all EU and non-EU nations including India.
Points will be assigned for possessing specific skills, qualifications, salaries and professions; with visas only awarded to those who gain enough points.
The overall number of immigrants entering the UK will fall once the plan comes into effect. Opposition politicians have argued that restrictions on immigration could harm public services such as the National Health Service which in certain areas relies on EU citizens who work as nurses and doctors.
With regards to what is being called the 'Global talent' visa, the government said it would award additional points to those working in sectors where there is a skills shortage. When the announcement about the plan to launch the visa was made, opposition leaders said that these are merely a cosmetic change on an existent visa, whose cap had never been met.
London and Brussels will spend this year negotiating the terms of a post-Brexit deal which will come into force on Jan.
Professor Alice Gast, President of Imperial College London, said: "British science is global. The new post-study work and Global Talent visas will help us to attract the world''s brightest students and researchers, wherever they come from.
"From the race to develop a coronavirus vaccine to clean energy, British science’s international collaborations drive innovation and excellence.
The government said the points threshold for the new system will be carefully set to attract the talent the UK needs.
Skilled workers will need to meet several relevant criteria, including specific skills and the ability to speak English, to be able to work in the UK.
Besides a job application in hand, those hopeful of getting the visa, in line with the Migration Advisory Committee’s recommendations should be offered a minimum salary. This will be set at GBP 25,600 pounds— lower than the previous GBP 30,000 level for Tier 2 work visas.
In line with the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s manifesto commitment in the December 2019 General Election, there will be no specific route for low-skilled workers.
The Home Office said, "It is estimated 70 per cent of the existing EU workforce would not meet the requirements of the skilled worker route.”
Student visa routes will also be points-based and be opened up to EU citizens from next year.
Those wishing to study in the UK will need to demonstrate that they have an offer from an approved educational institution, that they can support themselves financially and that they speak English.
To address the specific labour concerns of the agricultural sector reliant on seasonal workers from the EU, the Seasonal Workers Pilot will be expanded in time for the 2020 harvest from 2,500 to 10,000 places.
EU citizens and other non-visa nationals will not require a visa to enter the UK when visiting the UK for up to six months.
