BRITISH home secretary Sajid Javid yesterday (24) asked the Migration Advisory Committee to review on salary thresholds for the future immigration system, which will start to take effect from 2021.
Javid has asked the committee whether an existing threshold of £30,000 for experienced workers is still appropriate.
Javid said: “It’s vital the new immigration system continues to attract talented people to grow our economy and support business while controlling our borders.
“These proposals are the biggest change to our immigration system in a generation, so it’s right that we consider all of the evidence before finalising them.
“That’s why I’ve asked independent experts to review the evidence on salary thresholds. It’s crucial the new immigration system works in the best interests of the whole of the UK.”
The new immigration system will mark the end of free movement and introduce a new route for skilled workers which favours experience and talent over nationality.
Last month, environment secretary Michael Gove called on the home secretary to bring in flexible immigration rules for skilled workers after Brexit so as to avoid vacancies in certain industries.
Criticising the £30,000 salary threshold for immigrant workers, Gove said measuring whether someone was qualified as skilled by their salary was not appropriate for all industries.
Javid has asked the migration advisory committee to consider how future salary thresholds should be calculated; the levels of salary thresholds; whether there is a case for regional salary thresholds for different parts of the UK, and whether there should be exceptions to salary thresholds, for example because workers have newly started the occupation or because they work in an occupation in shortage.
The committee is expected to present its findings in January 2020.
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