A Summary of Changes in HC1160 (Working routes only)

A new statement of changes to the UK immigration rules was published on 9^th March 2023.

The statement addresses some changes to working visa routes such as Skilled worker visa and Global Business mobility routes, the update on Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETA), the revamp of the Innovator visa route, changes to the Youth Mobility Schemes for New Zealand nationals, changes to EUSS scheme, and update on Global Talent visa routes.

Some key changes for consideration:

Innovator Founder route

From 13^th April 2023

• This route replaces the current Innovator visa scheme.
• It removes the £50,000 minimum funds requirement currently applied to make more flexible provision for founders with a genuine proposal.
• The changes also relax existing restriction on Innovator migrants – they can now engage in employment outside the running of their business as long as the secondary employment is in skilled roles
• The Start-up route will be closed to new applicants from 13^th April 2023.

Salary Changes

From 12^th April 2023

Skilled worker/Global Business Mobility

Minimum salary threshold for Skilled Worker visa’s is now £26,200/£23,580/£20960/£10.75 per hour respectively according to each relevant bracket.

Changes also applies where worker is sponsored to work in different hours each week:

If the applicant is being sponsored to work a pattern where the regular hours are not the same each week, resulting in uneven pay: 

 (a) work in excess of 48 hours in some weeks can be considered towards the salary thresholds, providing the average over a regular cycle (which can be less than, but not more than, 17 weeks) is not more than 48 hours a week; and

 (b) any unpaid rest weeks will count towards the average when considering whether the salary thresholds are met; and

(c) any unpaid rest weeks will not count as absences from employment for the purpose of paragraph 9.30.1 in Part 9 of these rules.  

 For example, an applicant who works a pattern of 60 hours a week for £12 per hour for two weeks, followed by an unpaid rest week, will be considered to work 40 hours a week on average and have a salary of £24,960 (£12 x 40 x 52) per year.

 The changes above will not affect companies that are already paying their employee salaries at above the on-going rate, and the update on the Innovator visa is definitely a welcome update.

Please speak to our Shareena Rahman for enquiry on how we can help you and your business in the UK.

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