Last month, the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) published a report on behalf of Lloyds bank and revealed that skilled foreign workers are responsible for an increase of £21obn a year generated by the UK economy. The report also revealed that the number of Tier 2 skilled migrant workers in the UK has grown from 2.6m in 2004 to 4.6m in 2014. As we have been reporting over the last week about the Statement of changes. There have been changes relating to Tier 2 of the point based system.
Tier 2 Skilled Migrant Workers Estimated £210bn to UK Economy
The report published by CEBR proves that skilled migrant workers are proven to be the driving force in the UK economy. Showing that migrant workers are providing an estimated £210bn boost to the UK economy annually and driving 15% of all output. Jamsheed Poncha, head of client services at Lloyds Bank put forward his opinion of the findings of the report:
“The findings of the research clearly demonstrate the strength of the UK economy and its ability to attract a highly qualified professional workforce from around the world. The contribution inward talent can make to key industries is impressive as it ultimately helps the economy to prosper even more.”
According to the report American nationals working in the UK are the most qualified and are working in positions such as engineering or IT. Just last week, website ‘The Engineer’ published findings from the SJD Accountancy, a contractor services provider to the engineering sector. They showed that the number of engineers from non-EU countries in the UK has risen by 36% over the last year. In 2012/2013 Home Office figures show that 859 non-EU engineers entered the UK and in 2013/2014 this figure rose to 1,171.
Changes relating to Tier 2 of the Points-Based System
Tier 2 route of the Point-based system applies to non-EU migrant workers who have been offered a skilled job position from a licensed employer. Tier 2 is made up of four categories: Intra-company Transfer (ICT), General, Minister of Religion and Sportsperson. The following change to Tier 2 are the following:
- Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) and Tier 2 (General): An assessment has been added to these two categories in order to analysis the genuineness of the vacancy being offered to the applicant. This has been created to ensure that the sponsor does not exaggerate the job description to meet the Tier 2 skills threshold or to ensure that Tier 2 general applications are given reasonable grounds to believe that the applicant is not qualified for the job.
- An already existing requirement in the guidance for Sponsors is that Tier 2 Migrants is: they cannot be sponsored to fill a position, undertake an ongoing routine role or to provide an ongoing routine service for a third party who is not the sponsor. This will be replicated in the Immigration Rules for transparency and completeness.
- Provisions relating to overseas nurses and midwives will reflect the changes made in the practice by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
- Applicants applying for an extension under Tier 2 (General) continuing to work with the same employer will be exempt from from the Resident Labour Market Test.
- The NHS are temporarily exempt from the requirement to advertise NHS jobs via Jobcentre Plus (or Jobcentre Online in Northern Ireland) until 6 April 2015.
- The conditions of leave for Tier 2 (Sportsperson) migrants are being amended for applicants to take on additional employment such as sports broadcaster. This is in line with the conditions for migrants in the Creative and Sporting sub-category of the Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) category.
Successful UK Tier 2 Visa Applications
Our team of experienced and professionally qualified immigration solicitors and barristers will be able to guide you through the process of making a Tier 2 General migrant visa application step by step and limit the possibility of failure by complying with the strict letter of law.
We also undertake a great deal of appeal work before the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal and have a successful track record of successful results for our clients. We have the experience and the knowledge required to take your case forward successfully. If you have had a Tier 2 General visa refused, contact us to discuss your case so that we can provide you with a case assessment.