UK Tier 2 Visa Immigrants must earn £35,000 to settle from April 2016

[danielanthony]

http://www.workpermit.com/news/2015...nts-must-earn-35000-to-settle-from-april-2016

From 6 April 2016 most Tier 2 visa immigrants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) must be earning £35,000 or more to qualify for UK indefinite leave to remain (also known as permanent residence), says the Home Office. Theresa May said the new rules will help to reduce the number of non-European Union/EEA nationals and their dependants that are granted permanent residence each year from 60,000 to 20,000.

I thought GD might find this interesting as it covers our two most favourite topics: money and immigration.

I personally think this is a good idea because:

1) If you're earning less than £35,000 and have a family, you are probably a net-drain on the public purse -> tax credits + schooling + NHS =/= income tax paid.

2) If you're doing a job worth less than £35,000, is it specialised enough to warrant importing labour from around the world to fill these roles? Does it not depress the market for local candidates?

 

[peterwalkley]

I think there needs to be some flexibility on the salary requirement or exemptions for certain occupations that are low paid but hard to fill roles for - nursing comes to mind as the obvious example.

 

[Sudden]

I think there needs to be some flexibility on the salary requirement or exemptions for certain occupations that are low paid but hard to fill roles for - nursing comes to mind as the obvious example.

There normally are exceptions for nursing and some other professions. Haven't looked into the new rules to see if anything has changed.

 

[Danthus]

Isn't this just a case of the Conservatives need to try and establish the position that they are doing something about immigration?

 

[phil675]

Isn't this just a case of the Conservatives need to try and establish the position that they are doing something about immigration?

This. I don't know why these sorts of measures couldn't have been put in place years ago to stem the tide, but then it makes little difference when you still have free EU movement.

 

[danielanthony]

There normally are exceptions for nursing and some other professions. Haven't looked into the new rules to see if anything has changed.

But isn't this list of exceptions basically a list of under paid professions?

I mean, if there is demand for nurses and supply does not meet that demand, should we not encourage an increase in supply via improving pay and conditions rather than importing labour from the other side of the world who would be willing to accept the T&C's?

 

["andy"]

its already difficult enough for working non europeans and none asylum seekers to gain permanent visa's

i imagine that its the non working immigrants that people have problems with...

 

[danielanthony]

This. I don't know why these sorts of measures couldn't have been put in place years ago to stem the tide, but then it makes little difference when you still have free EU movement.

This may change in the next 12-18 months if we vote to leave.

If so, should this limit be applied retrospectively?

 

[CorrectHorseBattery]

Good idea.

 

[Twirlywoos]

lol I bet there are plenty of UK citizens who don't even that salary.

So I guess this is specific for people seeking work in the UK and have a particular skill set to offer and not asylum seekers or political refugees?

 

[scorza]

lol I bet there are plenty of UK citizens who don't even that salary.

Isn't that kind of the point? Restrict the supply of labour at the lower end of the labour market to drive up salaries.

So I guess this is specific for people seeking work in the UK and have a particular skill set to offer and not asylum seekers or political refugees?

This is for legal non-EU immigrants who are already working over here and affects their entitlement to permanent residency. I think at the moment any non-UK citizen who has been working over here for 5 or more years can apply for indefinite leave to remain, in future they'll have to earn the minimum salary threshold too.

 

[deuse]

Good idea. I would have liked people to have their own health care insurance for 5 years per person including children.

 

[Hades]

I think it's a good idea. Although this is a generalisation lower paid jobs can tend to be lower skilled or for people with less experience (obvously not always the case!). So why bring in someone from outside the country when that role could probably be filled by a UK citizen? If the role is of higher skill or experience level then it is likely to command a higher salary. If we need to bring someone in from another country to fill that gap then it's a benefit to the country.

Good idea. I would have liked people to have their own health care insurance for 5 years per person including children.

I've always thought this too. In fact anyone travelling on holiday here should have evidence of health insurance too.

 

[Destination]

I think there needs to be some flexibility on the salary requirement or exemptions for certain occupations that are low paid but hard to fill roles for - nursing comes to mind as the obvious example.

Exemptions from the £35,000 salary requirement

The £35,000 earning requirement will not apply to anyone in an occupation on the shortage occupation list and to scientists and researchers in PhD level occupations.

 

[Destination]

Given that most of our migration is from inside the EU, this isn't going to affect migration massively anyway.

Can someone tell me, what are the pension rules regarding those who work here and future remigration back home? Let's say a person comes here, work as minimum wage for 10 years, then go back home. What are a person's state pension entitlements?

 

[adam cool dude]

If I was living outside the UK earning 35k year I wouldn't want to come here anyway!

 

[Judgeneo]

Won't make a dent in figures and makes the process of coming here more frustrating.