Britain changes migration rules and expects more specialists than guest workers
As the BBC notes, the new rules will significantly complicate the ability to find and obtain work in Britain for holders of European passports, while making it easier for everyone else.
The government says that after Brexit, priority will be given to professional qualities, not the country of origin of the visa applicant. And all labor migrants should be placed on equal footing.
Currently, citizens of European countries can freely come to Britain to live and work. Unskilled workers from abroad will not receive British work visas in the future. Boris Johnson's government is urging employers to gradually move away from relying on cheap labor from continental Europe and instead invest in reducing staff turnover and automation.
The Conservative government's plans have already drawn criticism from the opposition and organizations defending the rights of European citizens. Labour argues that the "unfriendly atmosphere" fostered by the Conservatives will make it difficult to attract foreign labor.
However, Home Secretary Priti Patel disagrees, having outlined the government's post-Brexit plans on the BBC. She stated that the government's goal is to encourage "the best and brightest" and reduce the influx of low-skilled workers. She reaffirmed that after the transition period, the approach to residents of the EU and the rest of the world will become equal.
Points-based system
In their election manifesto, the Conservatives promised to introduce a system for issuing work visas based on points accumulated. Details have now emerged.
• Having professional qualifications and experience, a job offer from a specific employer, and possessing a specialty in short supply for the British economy will earn 20 points each.
• Sufficient knowledge of English and a university degree in the field of the intended future job will earn 10 points each.
• Higher education in a specialty on the shortage list will earn 20 points.
• An expected salary in the range of £23,069–£25,599 per year will earn 10 points, above that – 20 points.
Thus, the maximum possible points are 110. To obtain a work visa, 70 points will be required.
Adapt and adjust
Mandatory conditions for a work visa will be a job offer from an employer and knowledge of English, but together they do not provide the required number of points. This will block the path for people without a specific profession who are currently engaged in manual labor in catering, hotels, nursing homes, and the food industry.
While Europeans enjoy the right
of free entry and job search
in the United Kingdom
According to officials, the 3.2 million EU citizens currently working in Britain who have expressed a desire to stay are sufficient to perform these jobs. The government is urging businesses to adapt and adjust to the new conditions.
An exception is planned for seasonal agricultural workers, whose numbers will instead quadruple to 10,000 per year.
The "Youth Mobility Scheme," allowing 20,000 young foreigners per year to come to the United Kingdom for temporary work, will also remain in force.
According to the government plan, in the first five years (before obtaining permanent residence), migrants will be able to use social benefits only if they have a job and stable income. Until now, EU citizens only needed to be considered "economically active" for this.
At the same time, the Migration Advisory Committee recommended that the cabinet lower the salary threshold for the maximum 20 points from £30,000 to £25,600 per year. This measure is intended mainly for school teachers and nurses.
Another committee proposal has been accepted: allow workers with an expected annual salary between £20,480 and £23,069 to apply for a visa if their profession is on the shortage list, although they will not receive points "for salary" in this case.
The shortage occupation list will be regularly reviewed by the advisory committee. Currently, it includes, for example, civil engineers, general practitioners, nurses, psychologists, and classical ballet dancers.
What else do they want to change?
The government proposes abolishing the numerical cap for incoming skilled workers – a measure supported by the Confederation of British Industry. Currently, this regularly reviewed cap is about 20,000 work visas per year, and once exceeded, applicants typically received an automatic refusal.
The very concept of "skilled worker" is changing. It will not imply a mandatory university degree, but only completed secondary education. The service sector is excluded from this category, but carpenters, plasterers, and childminders have been added.
Foreign students wishing to study in Britain must know English, present an invitation from an educational institution, and prove they have sufficient funds for living expenses.
Analyst's opinion
As BBC domestic policy correspondent Danny Shaw notes, the new immigration rules proposed by the government are based on the idea of balance: attracting more professionals and fewer unskilled workers. Residents of non-EU countries will receive some concessions – for example, the abolition of the numerical cap for skilled workers and a reduction in the required minimum salary level.
Citizens of EU countries, accustomed to moving between Britain and the continent completely freely, will likely experience a shock. Now they will have to obtain an invitation from a British employer in advance and overcome a 70-point threshold. As tourists, they can stay in Britain for up to six months without a visa, but also without the right to work.
The new rules have some flexibility. But it is not yet clear whether it will be enough to avoid a labor shortage and companies moving their production to other countries.