December 7th, 2023 at 12:29 am
UK New Visitor Visa Policy: 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 are being taken 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 have been 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.
UK’s 5-Point Plan to Cut Migration
1. End the Abuse of the Health and Care Visa
Stop individuals from abusing the Health and Care Visa. To sponsor visas, care firms in England will need to be supervised by the Care Quality Commission. The UK intends to prohibit foreign care workers from bringing family members with them. Approximately 120,000 dependents accompanied 100,000 care workers and senior care workers.
Just 25% of dependents are expected to be employed in the year ending in September 2023, which means that a substantial portion of them are relying on public services rather than boosting the economy.
2. Increase Health Surcharge
While it is acknowledged that immigrants provide excellent work in the NHS and other health-related sectors, it is equally critical that they contribute sufficiently financially. As a result, this year we will raise the annual immigrant health surcharge by 66%. Consequently, increasing from £624 to £1,035 will allow the nation’s health services to raise almost 1.3 billion more annually on average.
3. Stop Immigration Undercutting the Salary of British Workers
Additionally, the UK intends to restrict immigrants from undercutting British workers’ wages. To bring the skilled worker earnings criteria in line with the median full-term income for those positions, the UK plans to raise it by a third, to £38,700, starting in the spring of 2019. We can continue to bring in the healthcare personnel that our care sector and NHS depend on because those entering under the Health and Social Care Visa channels will be exempt.
4. Scrap Cut Price Shortage Labor from Overseas
By eliminating the 20% going rate wage reduction for shortage occupations and updating the shortage occupation list, the UK intends to eliminate low-cost labor from abroad. Because of the new higher-skilled worker wage criteria, the UK government has asked the Migration Advisory Committee to evaluate the occupations on this list and establish a new immigration salary list with fewer occupations. People can only bring dependents that they can financially support, for this reason.
5. Raising the Minimum Income for Family Visas
Since 2012, there has not been an increase to the £18,600 minimum income level. This set of actions will begin in the spring of the next year.
6. UK Graduate Route
The UK government requests the migration advisory council to evaluate The Graduate route to prevent abuse and to safeguard the integrity and caliber of the exceptional higher education sector in the country, aside prohibiting international master students from bringing family members to the country. It must serve the interests of the UK by minimizing misuse prospects while promoting the route to excellent employment for the world’s skilled workforce.
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