UK Government Review Visas

As some of you may already be aware, the UK Government has recently asked its Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the Tier 2 visa route – the visa for skilled workers, from outside of the European Economic Area, who have an offer of skilled employment in the UK.  As part of the review of the Tier 2 visa route, the MAC is currently seeking views and evidence from relevant stakeholders.  The closing date for submissions is Friday, 25 September 2015.  

 

The proposed changes and the outcomes of the MAC’s review may have a considerable effect on the ability of New Zealanders to access the UK labour market, and for the ability of businesses to do business in the UK, and recruit and retain talented Kiwi employees.

The MAC has been asked to look at the following, with a view to making recommendations to significantly reduce economic migration to the UK:

• Options to re-focus the Tier 2 route on areas where there are genuine skills shortages
• How to limit the time that sectors can remain on a shortage list
• The implementation of a levy on Tier 2 visas, to fund apprenticeships
• Restrictions on the automatic right of Tier 2 dependants to work
• Tightening up on the intra-company transfer (ICT) route, including applying the immigration health surcharge to ICTs
• Raising the minimum salary levels that migrants have to be paid.

 

Further information, including a copy of the consultation document, can be found online CLICK HERE and CLICK HERE

 

The NZ Business Women’s Network will be making a high-level submission to the MAC.  While we won’t be addressing each individual question posed by the MAC (to see the full set of questions, refer to Section 4, pp. 8-13 of the consultation document), we are intending to focus our response on: