London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and UK Home Secretary Priti Patel have finalised plans for a new post-Brexit points-based visa and immigration system, which is expected to see the UK allowing greater numbers of skilled professionals from around the world, including India, to live and work in the country.
At a meeting earlier this week, they reportedly accepted the UK Migration Advisory Committee's (MAC) recommendation to lower the minimum salary threshold requirement for such professionals from 30,000 pounds to 25,600 pounds, with additional points being scored for skill levels, job offers and English language abilities.
The details of the new system are expected to be formally unveiled by Patel next Friday, following an expected Cabinet reshuffle by Johnson on Thursday.
The so-called Australian-style points-based system will effectively curb unskilled migrants' access to the UK from January 1, 2021, when the free movement of people from within the European Union (EU) will end under a pre-agreed transition period after Britain formally left the economic bloc on January 31.
Read: Finally, Britain departs from EU
UK Home Office figures suggest the new rules will mean a reduction in unskilled EU migrants of about 90,000 a year. Under the new post-Brexit system, there will be an expected rise in the number of skilled migrants coming to the UK from next year, currently 65,000 a year.
The proportion of workers coming from within the EU and those from outside is predicted to change, with higher numbers from outside Europe. Indians lead the category of UK visas granted to skilled professionals from outside the EU, with 56,241 such Tier 2 visas granted over the previous year. That figure is expected to register a further hike following the post-Brexit changes.
According to report, the score awarded for salary will be "tradeable" on a sliding scale, with people on 23,000 pounds still able to earn points. Those who earn less than 25,600 pounds will score double for working in a sector where there is a skills shortage.
Those with an "outstanding" educational background would also gain points and holding a PhD in a subject relevant to your job would be worth the same as speaking good English.
A letter outlining the details of the policy is to be sent to Cabinet ministers over the weekend, with its approval is expected to take place by Johnson's new reshuffled top team by Friday. The second phase of reforms will follow later next year, at the end of the Brexit transition period, when the points-based system will be further refined.
In phase two, sector-specific short-term visas could also be introduced if there are shortages of low-skilled workers in the care or construction sectors as a result of the end to free movement of people from Europe.
(With inputs from PTI)
