December 8th, 2023 at 01:37 am
3 Major Changes in UK Visa Application – Impact from January 2024
Changes to UK immigration to take effect in January 2024. This update focuses on the UK regulations that will soon take effect, particularly in January 2019.
1. Migration Health Surcharge Increase
The immigrant health surcharge, usually known as IHS fees, will see a significant 66% hike starting on January 16, 2024, or later. For the majority of UK visa applicants, the IHS is relevant. If a migrant becomes ill or is involved in an accident while in the UK, they are entitled to access the NHS according to the IHS.
Recall that the annual cost for dependents, youth mobility workers, children, and students will increase from £470 to £776. The annual fee for all other candidates will rise to £1,035 from £624. This means that an additional £2055 will be charged to the standard skilled worker visa price for a single employee over the course of five years.
If there are dependents on the principal applicant, this sum rises even more. An extra £530 for each child and £2055 for a partner. Regretfully, the impending adjustments will have a significant impact on UK visa applicants and UK-based businesses wishing to submit updates for UK visas.
2. UK Visitor Rules
In the Autumn Statement on November 22, 2023, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt pledged to streamline and broaden the range of activities that foreign business visitors to the UK are allowed to engage in. Although this was already made public in the spring 2023 announcement, no real changes to the UK immigration laws have been announced or put into effect as of yet.
Remember that January 2024 is the new target date for the impending adjustments. The main goals of the modifications to the UK visitor regulations will be to include activities, the legal services industry, and paid engagements. Additionally, the UK government said that some modifications could be put into effect in 2024 based on trade agreements.
3. Increment in UK Minimum Wage Rates
Please remember that there will be notable rises to the minimum wage starting in 2024.
- National Living Wage (21 and over): £144 (up 99.8%)
- 18 to 20years old rate: £8.60 (up 14.8%)
- 16 to 17year old rate: £6.40 (up 21.2%)
- The Apprentice rate: £6.40 (up 21.2%)
- Accommodation offset: £9.99 (up 9.88%)
The advice given to companies to assess and ensure that their pay is compliant is the most crucial aspect. Remember that one of the requirements for a UK visa for individuals with interns working for them under a government-approved exchange program for temporary workers is the minimum wage obligation.
Changes in UK Business Visitor Visa 2024
There will be new UK Business Visitor Visa adjustments soon. We will discuss the UK government’s proposed amendments to the Business Visitor Visa in this update. In its Autumn Statement, which was published on November 22, 2023, the UK government proposed changing the Business Visitor Visa program to make it simpler and more inclusive.
The modifications will expand the scope of the business visitor regime, enabling executives to engage in a greater range of business operations, including the provision of legal services. The government will work on the business visitor rule and look into potential future trade deal-related improvements starting on January 1, 2024.
The statement makes it clear that these actions seek to support the spring budget pledge made in 2023 to make the UK an accessible and desirable location for businesses, as well as to ensure that companies can access the talent they require. It is important to note that, although the Autumn Statement’s proposals pertain to short-term business visas, they have no direct bearing on the number of net migrants.
In general, it appears that the Home Office is considering limiting the amount of legal immigration to the UK, raising income limits, and reducing the number of dependents under specific immigration pathways to reduce the misuse of work visas. After the reforms are implemented, multinational corporations may choose to send their assignees to the UK for commercial engagements and operations.
Instead of requesting to sponsor the worker via the senior or expert worker route, they will have the chance to think about the more flexible and economical visit visa alternative.
New UK Immigration Rules to Cut Migration in UK
The UK’s latest immigration reduction policies currently made public by the Home Secretary. Among these plans are the following:
- First, establish a new list of immigration salaries that includes fewer jobs.
- Next, raise the annual health surcharge on immigration by 66%. Consequently, £624 to 1,035
- Furthermore, halt immigration from lowering British workers’ wages.
- Also, prevent foreign caregivers from bringing their dependents. People only bring dependents they can financially sustain, for this reason.
- In addition, increasing the minimum income requirement for family visas to 38,700, the same as the minimum wage requirement for skilled workers
- Finally, raise the salary requirement for skilled workers by a third to 38,700 starting in the spring of 2019.
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