Will Brexit make it easier for employers to bring migrants to the UK?

The UK should reduce the salary threshold for migrants looking to move to the UK after Brexit to £25,600, the Government’s migration advisers have said. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) recommended that the threshold be reduced from the current level of £30,000, which would make it easier for employers looking to bring in talent from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), but would still represent a major new barrier for those employing Europeans.

The report suggested that the current Tier 1 system set the bar too high and was too risk-averse, targeting only those at the very top of their field. The report noted that the number of applications for this visa fell consistently short of the cap.

Many employers will be relieved to see the lower minimum salary threshold but will also be keen to see the temporary one-year visa extended to two years when the Government makes its final policy announcement in spring, In the meantime, the important thing for employers is to get up to speed with the new system. The Government is expected to publish another immigration white paper in March.