UK Facilitating: The UK government has unveiled measures aimed at simplifying the process for local businesses to recruit foreign workers, marking a significant shift in sponsor license renewal protocols.
Effective April 6, the customary four-year renewal requirement for licenses will be eliminated, providing substantial relief to companies sponsoring skilled foreign talent.
UK Facilitating Hiring
Previously, businesses faced administrative burdens and costs, including application fees ranging from £536 to £1,476, and processing times extending up to eight weeks.
In a bid to enhance efficiency, the Home Office will adopt a more automated approach, extending existing sponsor licenses expiring on or after April 6,this year, by 10 years.
This means sponsors with valid licenses during this period need not undertake any renewal actions. Moreover, the Home Office pledges to refund application fees for sponsors already in the renewal process and offers access to license expiry dates via the online Sponsorship Management System.
However, amidst these adjustments, immigration policies remain a contentious issue in the UK. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government has proposed substantial increases in hiring costs for overseas personnel, including raising the minimum salary requirement to £38.7K.
These measures align with the government’s aim to reduce net annual immigration by 300K and impose restrictions on overseas care workers bringing family dependents.
Additionally, the government plans to abolish the 20% salary discount for workers on the shortage occupation list, signalling a broader shift in immigration policy.
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