Political instability is putting pressure on mobile professionals across the world – and the UK is no exception.
The issue of global mobility is an emerging theme across the world, as the supply and demand for talent is an ever-changing dynamic. In the UK, how and when people can move, work and settle has become increasingly complex as new rules – and exceptions – emerge.
2024 was a year of change in the UK, as the outgoing government introduced several new rules that impacted the mobility options of many professionals across the world. One of the key changes arrived in in April when the minimum salary threshold went up to £38,700- a big increase from the previous level of £26,000.
The impact of the change was felt immediately, with a lot of low-skilled workers who may have been considering coming to the UK changing their plans. The move was part of the outgoing Conservative government's efforts to reduce the politically problematic levels of low-skilled migration, with their overall intention of decreasing net migration into the UK.
Tightening up
They also did this by tightening the family and student visas, which removed some lower-ranked universities and the lower skilled courses from the student regime; meanwhile family visas, especially popular for health and social care workers already heavily impacted by this increase in the salary threshold was a big impact on their sector, they decreased the ability to bring over dependents, meaning fewer dependents arriving. This was also the case in the seasonal work visas.
One of the key parts of the UK's professional visa regime is the Sponsor licence, which allows companies to employ someone from outside the UK to work for their business. It's a helpful way of retaining mobility and agility in hiring key workers, and in April 2024, UKVI announced that sponsor licences would no longer need to be renewed. Previously a Skilled Worker sponsor licence was issued for 4 years and would have to be renewed before its expiry - but that is no longer the case.
Sponsor licences are a useful tool, explains Jordan Walker, Business Visa & Immigration Advisor at Paul Beare Ltd, who explains that changes are likely in the coming months. "We're all waiting for this major review to happen (see box), but the early indication is that they're going to look at these high skilled jobs and they're going to start taking them off the list.
Walker reports dealing with a growing number of IT and tech roles that have come through the sponsor license process, "And they're very high skilled workers but their idea is obviously to try and promote from within and train individuals in the UK, rather than bringing individuals abroad so we'll have to wait and see for this review."
Free movement?
Meanwhile, there has recently been some welcome clarity around one of the main work visa regimes – the Youth Mobility Visa. The YM Visa allows young people to come over to the UK to study, or work in certain jobs. It also allows those eligible to be self-employed and set up a company.
"Depending on where you are, the Visa is open to those between 18 to 30 or 18 to 35," says Walker. "So, if you're between 18 to 35 and from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or South Korea then you're eligible; and if you're from Andorra, Iceland, Japan, Monaco, San Marino and Uruguay then you can apply between the ages of 18-30."
Under the terms of the YM Visa, successful applicants are granted a series of privileges aimed to make it easier to find employment as well as set up a business. In summary, the Visa allows you to:
- Live in the UK for up to 2 years
- Leave and re-enter the UK at any time during your stay
- Work (there are few restrictions on the types of work you can undertake on this visa)
- Study
- Be self-employed and establish a company in the UK (the rules state that you cannot have employees, your premises must be rented, and you cannot have equipment worth more than £5,000).
Helpfully, the eligibility criteria and compliance regime around the YM Visa is fairly simple, Jordan Walker explains. "You can apply six months before you travel and, as with most visas, they will take around three weeks to process. You also must pay an application fee of £298, as well as an immigration health surcharge of £776 per year."
However, while it is a relatively simple process, Walker points out that the UK Home Office is proactive and rigorous when assessing applications from abroad. "Part of one of the eligibility requirements is that you have to show documentation," says Jordan. "One of the documents that you will need is proof that you have had enough personal savings to support yourself, which they've set at £2,530, which has to be in your account for at least 28 days in a row before you apply for your visa."
There's no doubt developing mobility strategies requires careful planning. Here are 4 key things to get right on mobility
- Give yourself enough time: The regime governing working mobility moves slowly. Anyone looking to secure the correct Visa should allow for between three and four months
- Prepare to pay fees: The UK government is not shy about collecting its take from the visa process. While the headline cost may appear low, there may be hidden fees to pay along the way.
- Plan long term: Given the time and cost involved, think carefully about whether bringing in employees from overseas is the right way to go.
- Get the right help: This can be an exhausting and time-consuming process, so it can definitely save time and aggravation to get expert help along the way.
BOX OUT: There are several major regulatory changes due in 2025 that will impact on businesses' mobility strategies. They include:
- Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) reviews.,
the government is linking the MAC to other bodies dealing with
industrial and skills strategy. This review will aim to look at
skills shortages in the IT and engineering sectors, and whether
there should be further partner visa minimum income increases. The
results of these reviews are likely to contribute to any policy
changes in the year ahead.
- White Paper on linking visas with training:
Alongside the MAC review, this is due in the next month and should
give greater clarity on UK government plans.
- Travel to the EU. The latest on the
much-delayed new EU Entry Exit System (EES) digital border
framework is an EU Commission proposal for a phased implementation
over a 6-month period. The European Travel Information and
Authorisation System (ETIAS) has also been updated to say it now
says ETIAS is "due to start 6 months after EES". So, more
delays are expected to these schemes which will affect non-EU
national visa-free travel to the EU – including for British
citizens.
- Changes to the Global Talent endorsing body for digital tech. The Home Office has put the contract out to tender for a new endorsing body to take over from Tech Nation which should be settled by March 2025. The big question will be whether the qualifying criteria for digital tech Global Talent applications will change.
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