UK announces new points-based immigration system
19th February 2020
The new system takes effect from 1 January 2021.
Home Secretary Priti Patel will today (Wednesday 19 February 2020) launch a new points-based immigration system which will open up the UK to the brightest and the best from around the world.
The new system, which takes effect from 1 January 2021, will end free movement, reassert control of our borders and restore public trust.
It will assign points for specific skills, qualifications, salaries or professions and visas will only be awarded to those who gain enough points.
The government has listened to the clear message from the 2016 referendum and the 2019 General Election and will end the reliance on cheap, low-skilled labour coming into the country.
Overall levels of migration will be reduced, with tighter security and a better experience for those coming to the UK.
The new single global system will treat EU and non-EU citizens equally. It will give top priority to those with the highest skills and the greatest talents, including scientists, engineers and academics.
The global talent scheme will also be opened up to EU citizens which will allow highly-skilled scientists and researchers to come to the UK without a job offer.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said:Today is a historic moment for the whole country.
We're ending free movement, taking back control of our borders and delivering on the people's priorities by introducing a new UK points-based immigration system, which will bring overall migration numbers down.
We will attract the brightest and the best from around the globe, boosting the economy and our communities, and unleash this country's full potential.
The points threshold will be carefully set to attract the talent the UK needs. Skilled workers will need to meet a number of relevant criteria, including specific skills and the ability to speak English, to be able to work in the UK. All applicants will be required to have a job offer and, in line with the Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) recommendations, the minimum salary threshold will be set at £25,600.
The new points-based system will also expand the skills threshold for skilled workers. Those looking to live and work in the UK will now need to be qualified up to A level or equivalent, rather than degree level under the current system. This will provide greater flexibility and ensure UK business has access to a wide pool of skilled workers.
In line with the government’s manifesto commitment there will be no specific route for low-skilled workers. It is estimated 70% of the existing EU workforce would not meet the requirements of the skilled worker route, which will help to bring overall numbers down in future.
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.
Student visa routes will also be points-based and be opened up to EU citizens, ensuring talent from around the globe has access to the UK’s world-class universities. 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.
In addition, the seasonal workers pilot will also be expanded in time for the 2020 harvest from 2,500 to 10,000 places, responding to the specific temporary requirements of the agricultural sector.
EU citizens and other non-visa nationals will not require a visa to enter the UK when visiting the UK for up to 6 months. However, the use of national identity cards will be phased out for travel to the UK and the Home Office will set out our plans in due course.
Those EU citizens resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 can still apply to settle in the UK through the EU Settlement Scheme until June 2021.
Acting British High Commissioner to India, Jan Thompson, said:The new Points-Based Immigration System is great news for Indian nationals looking to work in the UK. It puts Indian applicants on a level playing field, and prioritises those with the greatest skills and talent - something which India has in abundance.
This news is just the latest example of the UK's continuing global outlook following our departure from the EU, and further evidence of our commitment to strengthening the UK-India Living Bridge.
Indian nationals continue to receive more skilled work visas than the rest of the world combined, accounting for 52% of all Tier 2 visas granted globally last year. Over half a million UK visit visas were issued to Indians in 2019, up almost 10% from the previous year. Tier 4 student visa numbers also increased by 63% last year - almost four times faster than the percentage increase globally.
The new Points-Based Immigration System will award points for an appropriate job offer, English language skills, and a salary threshold. The education threshold will be reduced to A-level (Higher Secondary School Certificate or equivalent) from degree level, and the general salary threshold is being reduced to £25,600 (approximately ₹23.8 lakh) from £30,000. Applicants will be able to ‘trade’ characteristics if they do not meet all the requirements. Tradeable points will be given for salary, a job offer in a specific shortage occupation, and educational qualifications.
The announcement will also formalise a new fast-track NHS Visa for certain medical professionals with NHS job offers, reducing their visa fees and providing support to come to the UK with their families. Applicants will need to have a job offer from the NHS, be trained to a recognised standard and have good working English language skills. Indians are already the largest non-British group of staff in the NHS with more than 21,000 healthcare professionals, including more than 7,500 nurses.
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Douglas Ross MP for Moray and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland said -
"We will build an open, outward-looking United Kingdom - a nation which draws on a global pool of talent and expertise, and values a person’s skills more than what country they come from.
The new system announced today will make sure our economy attracts and retains the best talent from around the world, welcoming people to Scotland and the whole UK based on how they can help grow our country.
For our Universities and high-tech sectors, this will open the door to more skilled staff. We have also recently confirmed a new graduate route which will allow international students to stay in the UK for two years after they finish studying. It will make the UK’s offer even more competitive and make it easier for international students to secure skilled jobs in the UK.
The new system will also reduce the salary threshold, which is again good news for Scotland. As an MP for a rural constituency I know there are challenges that communities in rural Scotland are facing, particularly the reliance on low-skilled and seasonal migrants. Although remote areas are not unique to us in Scotland.
To further support this sector, we are quadrupling the Seasonal Workers scheme for agriculture from 2,500 to 10,000 places which is important for our vital agricultural sector. Expanding this pilot will help us assess and inform future decisions of our immigration system.
But we also need to consider why people leave these areas which is more important than bolstering local communities with uncontrolled migration. The Scottish Government has significant devolved tools at its disposal to attract people to parts of Scotland and we encourage them to start delivering on this.
The Scottish Government have been campaigning for a different immigration system that goes against the recommendations of the independent and impartial Migration Advisory Committee. Applying different immigration rules to different parts of the UK would create additional burdens for business - and build borders within the UK.
Our points-based immigration system will deliver what businesses in Scotland have asked for and work in the interests of the whole of the United Kingdom.
What we need to do now is continue to work, with the Scottish Government, to ensure Scotland is an attractive destination for workers from around the world, so that we continue to build our economy."
