New UK Immigration Routes
Chancellor Rishi Sunak recently published the new UK Budget in the House of Commons. In an effort to support business growth, the new UK budget maps out a few new highly-skilled immigration categories that aim to increase innovation and support UK jobs. In addition to the recently improved Skilled Worker Visa, the new routes will enable the UK to attract and retain the most highly skilled and globally mobile talent. Also, some changes to existing routes have been announced.
Elite Visa
The ‘Elite’ visa will include a ‘scale-up’ stream. This will enable migrants with a highly skilled job offer from a recognised high-growth business to qualify for a fast-track visa without the need for sponsorship or third party endorsement.
This new visa category will be introduced by March 2022 and will be a points-based visa, expectedly similar to the former Highly Skilled Migrant Programme.
Reformed Global Talent Visa
The UK government has announced that it plans to reform the Global Talent visa route, including by allowing holders of international prizes and winners of scholarships and programmes for early promise to automatically qualify for the route.
Innovator Visa
The current Innovator visa route is also to be reviewed to make it easier for those with the skills and experience to found an innovative business to obtain endorsement and apply for an Innovator visa.
Global Business Mobility Visa
The government has also announced the launch of a new Global Business Mobility visa by Spring 2022, this visa route will be for overseas businesses that wish to establish a presence in or transfer staff to the UK.
Other changes to the UK immigration system
In other planned developments, the government has announced that it will:
- establish a global outreach strategy by expanding the Global Entrepreneur Programme, marketing the UK’s visa offering and explore building an overseas talent network;
- provide practical support to small firms that are using the visa system for the first time;
- modernise the immigration sponsorship system to reduce the burden on businesses trying to recruit global talent.
