UK begins drive to promote ‘fairer’ post-Brexit rules on hiring foreign workers

Under the system, workers from the European Union (EU) will be brought in line with those from outside the economic bloc once the EU free movement of people rules come to an end on December 31. “The new points-based system will be fairer and firmer, giving us control of our borders and treating people based on the skills they have to offer and the contribution they can make to the UK, not where they come from,” said Kevin Foster, UK Home Office Minister for Future Borders and Immigration.

The British government on Wednesday rolled out a new campaign to inform businesses about upgraded rules to hire workers from outside the country, including from India, which will come into force from January 2021 once the UK's Brexit transition period concludes. The new points-based immigration system will require UK-based employers to be registered as a licensed sponsor in order to be able to hire employees from outside the UK. Under the system, workers from the European Union (EU) will be brought in line with those from outside the economic bloc once the EU free movement of people rules come to an end on December 31.

“The new points-based system will be fairer and firmer, giving us control of our borders and treating people based on the skills they have to offer and the contribution they can make to the UK, not where they come from,” said Kevin Foster, UK Home Office Minister for Future Borders and Immigration. “We will be able to decide who comes into the country, allowing us to prioritize and invest in those people already in the UK, upskilling our current workforce, whilst also attracting the best and brightest from around the world to complement the skills we already have,” he said.

The Home Office has claimed the new system will be simpler, which would treat workers from every part of the world equally, “welcoming them based on the skills they have to offer and how they will contribute to the UK, not where their passport comes from”. “It will be simpler for businesses to access the talent they need as we have removed the Resident Labour Market Test, lowered the skills and salary threshold, and suspended the cap on skilled workers,” it said.

The UK-wide marketing campaign being launched this week will run for the coming months, using a wide range of channels to reach UK-based employers across different sectors. The key message for businesses is that the way they hire from the EU is changing and to recruit from outside the UK they will need to be a licensed sponsor. “We are working extensively to understand employers’ needs and encourage them to invest in the best home-grown talent alongside recruiting the best and brightest from abroad,” the Home Office said.

Indian industry and students’ groups had broadly welcomed the new post-Brexit points-based regime unveiled by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel earlier this year as a means to attract the "brightest and the best" from around the world. The magic number of points required to apply under the new system will be 70, accrued in increments of 20 or 10 based on professional skills, English language proficiency, a job offer from an approved sponsor and pre-set salary levels. Some of the categories will fall under tradable points, such as salary levels and jobs that fall within the shortage occupation list, giving applicants some options to make up a total of 70. Besides the points-based system, the government has also put in place schemes to enable more scientists, academics, investors, entrepreneurs, and health and care workers to come to the UK to plug specific needs. It is also reviewing the recommendations of the independent Migration Advisory Committee on the Shortage Occupation List and will bring in rules that help fill roles where shortages may occur.

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