Changes to the points based system
The UK Border Agency has published a statement of intent to help employers prepare for changes to the points-based system.
The statement announces changes to the codes of practice for skilled migrant workers from outside the European Economic Area. These will come into effect on 6th April 2013 and will also affect the timing of the applications for restricted certificates of sponsorship in March and April.
The changes include:
Changes to the lists of skilled occupations
- The current codes of practice use the Standard Occupational Classification 2000 system, so the UKBA is updating its skill lists and levels to reflect the new Standard Occupational Classification 2010 system.
Changes to salary requirements
- The minimum appropriate rates for skilled workers in each occupation are being simplified and updated to reflect changes in pay for settled workers. In addition, the overall salary thresholds which apply across Tier 2 will be increased in April, in line with wage inflation.
Changes to the way the resident labour market test is conducted
- The current lists of specific publications and websites where vacancies can be advertised will be replaced with a set of simple criteria for identifying suitable media. These new criteria will make the resident labour market test more flexible, giving employers more freedom to advertise where they think will be most successful, while ensuring settled workers have the opportunity to apply for jobs.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0.
