UK Immigration, Boris Johnson, and Brexit—What Does the 2020 Hold?

According to a recent statement by Boris Johnson, the 2020 immigration policy will prioritize ‘people’ over ‘passports’. He meant that those who continue to work in and serve in the UK will be awarded points based on their professional achievements and education levels and not their region of origin.

Is this really going to be the case? Read on to find out:

Where do we stand right now?

At the moment, the UK’s immigration policy has been seen as a threat for companies that are looking to recruit international students. We are living in an era when technology is increasingly impacting the consumer retail experience. This has given rise to the need to recruit talent that’s actually well-versed in the field of technology. The Home Office has clearly stated that the UK is current dealing with a dearth of local pool of recruits that has the required skill set and that there’s a need to consider international applicants.

On the other hand, the UK immigration system continues making it hard for companies to hire talent outside the UK labour party. However, a major chunk of immigrant students is still hopeful that the Home Office’s proposed removal of the cap on high-skilled immigration will soon be put into practice.

The impact of Brexit

The industry is clearly expected to face a potential labour shortage right after Brexit. You’d be surprised to know that currently, most of the low-skilled factory roles are occupied by people from the EU. There is an impending fear of workplace shortage and it remains one of the prime concerns.

Now that the UK has successfully left the EU, how are things expected to change?

From the ecommerce perspective, all the EU workers that are currently residing in the UK need to apply for either pre-settled or settled status. The employers in this case can’t force their employees to apply for the settled status, whatsoever. Other than that, free movement of the EU nationals is expected, and chances are they’ll have to adapt to the existing system.

At the same time, each migrant will have to be sponsored by an employer as per the provisions of the Tier 2 visa. The current point-based system will be taken into account for the matter. Other than that, they’ll have to fulfil certain criteria in order to be classified as “Regulatory Qualifications Framework Level 6 or above”. Under this system, sales assistants are now classified as “low-skilled” labour. However, after the Migration Advisory Committee’s recommendations come forward, their status may be changed to Level 3. This also means this would become a more expensive route for employers.

If you’re still confused about the immigration laws or work visas in the UK and wish to learn more, Wembley Solicitors is one call away. We are home to some of the best solicitors and lawyers that specialize in helping aspiring immigrants seal immigration appeals in Wembley, UK. Contact us straightaway!