SIGNIFICANT RISE IN REQUIRED SALARIES FOR SPONSORED SKILLED WORKERS FROM 4th APRIL 2024

The general minimum salary rate will increase from £26,200 to £38,700 for those workers assigned a certificate of sponsorship (COS) after 4th April 2024.

People assigned a COS before that date will not need to be paid the new amount assuming they make their immigration application within three months of the assignment.

The £38,700 minimum will not apply to all skilled workers and discounts will apply, as previously, to “new entrants” including students and those who are under 26 years old, and those working in jobs on the “Immigration Salary List” which will replace the current “Shortage Occupation List.”f

Those already sponsored before 4th April 2024, will not need to be paid the full amount but will generally require a minimum salary of £29,000 when they come to extend their permission to live and work in the UK.

The new rules are complicated and we suggest that employers and workers take legal advice before submitting immigration applications. Please contact us at info@jennyharveyimmigration.co.uk for assistance with the above or with any other aspect of sponsored skilled work.

UKRAINE PERMISSION EXTENSION SCHEME ANNOUNCED

It has finally been confirmed that people granted permission to live in the UK under one of the three Ukraine Schemes (Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family Scheme, and Ukraine Extension Scheme) will be able to apply for further permission to live in the UK.

Unfortunately, this will only be for an additional 18 months (at this stage anyway) and does not provide for the permanent settlement that many had hoped for.

Applications will again be free of charge and it will be possible to apply within the last three months of existing permission to live in the UK.

Applications will open from early 2025.

Ukraine Permission Extension scheme information – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Update to plans to increase the financial threshold – Family Route

We finally have a date for the first increase in the income requirement to meet when making a new application under the partner route.

From 11th April 2024, the income threshold will rise from the current £18600 to £29000. Further increases are planned but we don’t yet know when.

Extension applications will not be affected for applicants already in the UK and on the family route.

There has understandably been a lot of anxiety about these increased income requirements, particularly as most overseas applicants can not rely on a job offer in the UK but need their sponsor to be earning the relevant amount.

For advice on these changes or for any other aspect of making a visa application please do get in touch.

It is better to take advice in advance of an expensive application being submitted.

Visitors and remote work

In a welcome change for many visitors to the UK, it is now permitted to remotely undertake some activities linked to their overseas employment. Recent guidance (link below) gives examples of answering e-mails and phone calls and taking part in remote meetings.

Visit caseworker guidance (accessible) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

However, coming to work in the UK should not be the primary purpose of a visit and consideration will be given to how long a visitor plans to stay here as a lengthy stay may not be consistent with having a job to go back to.

Please contact us for further guidance on this or any other aspect of visiting the UK. It is important not to inadvertently breach the Immigration Rules.

AMENDMENTS TO FINANCIAL THRESHOLD PLANS FOR THE FAMILY ROUTE

Having caused much anxiety with its 4th December announcement on a change to the financial threshold for family visas, the Government has amended its plans in a further announcement on 21st December 2023 and has published a ” Fact Sheet” – please see the link below.
The financial threshold will still increase in the ” spring ” of 2024, and we still have no clarity on what date this actually means.
However, rather than jumping straight to £38700, it will initially rise from the current £ 18,600 to £ 29,000. Later increases will take effect at as yet unknown dates, rising first to £34500 and eventually to £38700.
It’s fair to say that there remains a lot of confusion, but some welcome clarifications in yesterday’s “Fact Sheet” are:
Those people who were already granted family visas before the rise of the income threshold will not be expected to meet the higher threshold at the point of extension.
Those already granted a visa as a fiancé under current rules will not need to meet the higher threshold after marriage and when applying to switch in to spouse status.
There will no longer be an additional part to the financial threshold when children are accompanying an applicant on the family route.
We do not yet know how the cash savings alternative to meeting the route will be affected.
If you would like to discuss these changes, please e mail us on info@jennyharveyimmigration.co.uk

MAJOR CHANGES ANNOUNCED TO SKILLED WORK ROUTE FROM THE SPRING OF 2024

On 4th December, the Home Secretary announced a plan to drastically reduce migration levels to the UK, including the number of skilled workers.

One of the main changes is increasing the minimum salary of a skilled worker from the current £26,200 to £38,700. This is likely to cause significant problems for those who employ skilled workers, especially in areas of the UK where salaries are generally lower.

The shortage occupation list is due to be replaced with a new and reduced list.

Sponsored care workers will no longer be able to bring their dependants with them, obviously raising questions around whether they will continue to come here at all.

We do not yet know the date when these changes will be introduced nor the details of whether they will apply retrospectively to skilled workers already in the UK.

Please keep an eye on our website for further details as and when they become known.

PLAN TO HUGELY INCREASE FINANCIAL THRESHOLD FOR FAMILY VISAS

On 4th December, the Home Secretary made a shock announcement that the financial threshold for family visas will rise in the spring of 2024, from £18600 per year to £38700.

This has understandably caused a lot of anxiety and distress, even amongst people already living in the UK as the dependants of those who are British or settled.

We do not as yet know the date when this change will be implemented nor whether it will apply to those who are already here when the time comes to extend their permission.

We will of course post updates when we know more but would meanwhile suggest that anyone planning to apply under the family route does so as soon as possible, obviously assuming they are eligible.

This makes sense in any case given the looming increase in the Immigration Health charge, due to be introduced on or shortly after 16th January 2024.

SIGNIFICANT INCREASE TO IMMIGRATION HEALTH CHARGE

Not long after the October 2023 increases to many immigration application fees, the Health Charge is also due to rise significantly. The increase will come into effect on 16th January 2024 or shortly afterwards and anyone able to submit an application prior to that is wise to do so.

The current charge of £624 per year for most adult applicants will increase to £1035 per year. This means for example that an applicant for a spouse visa will need to pay, upfront, the huge sum of £2587.50 in respect of their initial 2.5 years of permission to live in the UK. Currently, they pay £1560.

Children under 18 years old, students, and their dependents will pay £776 per year instead of the current £470 per year, as will applicants under the Youth Mobility Scheme.

Please do get in touch for further information about this or any other aspect of the Immigration Health Charge by sending an email to info@jennyharveyimmigration.co.uk

HEFTY INCREASES IN IMMIGRATION APPLICATION FEES AS OF 4TH OCTOBER 2023

Home Office fees are due to rise for many immigration applications as set out in the table below. These include applications to enter the UK as a partner or as a skilled worker and applications to settle in the UK or to become British.

If you are considering an application, and have checked that you are eligible, it would be wise to submit it before the above date if possible.

Visa fees transparency data – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

AUTOMATIC EXTENSION OF PRE-SETTLED STATUS

The Home Office has confirmed that EU nationals and their family members granted pre-settled status but not yet settled status will automatically receive a two-year extension of their pre-settled status towards the end of that pre-settled status.

This is to avoid those who have not applied for settled status losing the right to remain in the UK when their pre-settled status has expired.

E-mails are being sent to those granted pre-settled status to explain this extension and to encourage people to apply for settled status once eligible.

If you receive such an e-mail and would like our advice on an application for settled status please contact us on info@jennyharveyimmigration.co.uk