On November 24, 2016, several important changes to the UK Immigration Rules came into effect1. Some of the changes that impact businesses include closure of the Tier 2 ICT Skills Transfer subcategory and changes to minimum salary levels in several categories are described here.

Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) Category

  • The ICT Skills Transfer subcategory has been closed for new applicants.
  • The ICT Short Term minimum salary has increased to GPB 30,000 (or the rate for the Code of Practice (SOC), whichever is higher).
  • The ICT Graduate Trainee minimum salary has decreased to GPB 23,000, and now each sponsor can only sponsor 20 graduates under this route.

Tier 2 (General) Category

  • The salary threshold has increased to GPB 25,000 from GPB 20,800 for experienced workers.  The salary remains unchanged at GPB 20,800 for employees entering the workforce for the first time).
  • Sponsors may change SOC codes for graduates for employees within the same company upon completion of a trainee program.
  • Sponsors can continue to rely on campus recruitment if the recruiting ended up to four years before the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) was assigned, and the migrant was offered the job within six months of that campus recruitment taking place.

The changes prevent a sponsor from delaying a start date for more than four weeks for all categories under Tier 2. This change will not impact CoS assigned before November 24, 2016.

Footnote

1 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/changes-to-the-immigration-rules

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.