After much anticipation, Home Secretary Priti Patel has finally announced that a new points-based immigration system will be rolled out on 1 January 2021. The aim being to attract the brightest and the best from around the world, and bring an end to the UK\u2019s reliance on cheap, low-skilled labour.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday is a historic moment for the whole country.<\/em><\/p>\n We\u2019re ending free movement, taking back control of our borders and delivering on the people\u2019s priorities by introducing a new UK points-based immigration system, which will bring overall migration numbers down.<\/em><\/p>\n We will attract the brightest and the best from around the globe, boosting the economy and our communities, and unleash this country\u2019s full potential.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n -Home Secretary Priti Patel<\/p>\n As a result, migration levels will be reduced and there will be tighter security in place, the aim being to re-assert control of our borders.<\/p>\n The new points-based system will assign points for specific skills, qualifications, salaries or professions. Visas will only be awarded to those who gain enough points. Thus, treating EU and non-EU nationals equally and prioritising the brightest, including scientists, engineers and academics.<\/p>\n Under the points system, skilled workers will need to meet the relevant criteria such as specific skills, qualifications at A-level or equivalent (as opposed to the current requirement for a degree) and being able to speak English in order to work in the UK. They will also need to have a job offer which meets the minimum salary threshold of \u00a325,600.<\/p>\n In turn, UK businesses will have access to a wider pool of skilled workers.<\/p>\n However, it is currently estimated that 70% of the existing EU workforce would not meet the requirements of the skilled worker route, which will help to bring overall numbers down in the near future.<\/p>\n In addition, a new Global Talent visa scheme will also open to EU citizens, allowing highly-skilled scientists and researchers to come to the UK without a job offer.<\/p>\n Non- visa nationals and EU citizens will not require a visa to visit the UK for a period of up to 6 months.<\/p>\n Those EU citizens resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 can still apply to settle in the UK through the EU Settlement Scheme until June 2021.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After much anticipation, Home Secretary Priti Patel has finally announced that a new points-based immigration system will be rolled out on 1 January 2021. The aim being to attract the brightest and the best from around the world, and bring an end to the UK\u2019s…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3718,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n