Brexit: Changes for migrants moving to the UK
From 1 January 2021, changes mean that EU citizens wishing to relocate to the UK, will be under the same rules as non-EU citizens. The only exception to the above is Irish citizens may continue to move to the UK, this is with no restrictions under a separate agreement.
Arriving to work
For anyone newly arriving within the UK from January 2021, they are now required to have permission to come to the UK. This can be via work, family or study visas. They are generally subject to the same rules, irrespective of the country they travelled from.
For EU citizens who previously had the right to free movement, this has now become more restrictive, in line with non-EU citizens. Up until the end of 2020, non-EU citizens on a standard work visa had to
have a salary of at least £30,000 in a graduate job, however, with the new rules, it has allowed middle skilled roles to qualify, plus a reduced salary requirement of £25,600 and sometimes lower in some circumstances.
There are no changes in the family migration rules, these require a minimum income of £18,600, payment of fees such as NHS surcharge at £624 per person, per year.
Arriving for study
For non-EU students arriving in the UK from January 2021, and if their course begins after July 2021, they need to be sponsored by an educational institution that is licensed, they are also required to pay international tuition fees, visa fees and the health care surcharge. The rules for being able to work after study
have also been relaxed. Students may now have a two-year post-study work period, on which there are no salary or occupation restrictions. If the student has completed a PhD, the working period after study is increased to three years.
Other visa routes to come to the UK
There are visa routes that now affect various migrant subgroups. In 2013, the SAWS or Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme was closed, this has been partially reinstated. It will allow agricultural workers to come to the UK, but only for up to six months, they will also be required to have sponsorship from a select government operator and has no option for settlement.
In future we will see what other visa routes and policies will be introduced regarding immigration, it is a challenging climate, economically, demographically and politically, especially considering Covid-19.