In December, the Government announced planned changes to UK immigration policy, which include changes to the salary thresholds for those applying for Skilled Worker visas and revised minimum income requirements for those applying for family visas.
The announcements were accompanied by substantial media coverage and the Government have altered their policy position in some aspects of the originally-announced plans – notably those relating to family visas. We have also received confirmation that the new salary thresholds will not affect anyone for the duration of their current Skilled Worker visa.
However, the formal changes to the Immigration Rules have yet to be published by Government, no date has been set for publication, and significant and important details remain unconfirmed.
The University is acutely aware that these announcements, the lack of clarity from Government, and the associated uncertainty, have caused worry and concern for many in our community. We wrote directly to potentially affected employees during December, with a promise to write again once the Government publishes details of the changes to the Immigration Rules; that promise remains in place.
The University – along with sector bodies such as the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), Universities UK (UUK) and the Russell Group – is pursuing all available channels to lobby and gain a fuller understanding of the upcoming changes, so that when the revised Immigration Rules are formally confirmed, we can advise affected employees as swiftly, accurately and authoritatively as possible.
In the meantime, we would encourage everyone in our community to be mindful of those who may understandably be worried or uncertain about their own or others’ situations.
For those who may have specific queries, Ask HR is available throughout the working day and can be contacted via telephone, email, ServiceNow or in person.