Changes to the Business Immigration Rules
The UK government has made some changes to its Business Immigration Rules and states these change will help crack down on any abuse of the system while also indicating the UK’s commitment to bringing in top talent.
What are the Business Immigration Rule changes?
The changes to Business Immigration Rules have provided two new routes for applicants seeking visas to start up businesses in the UK. The new Start-Up visa is one route that can be taken by individuals looking to start a new business in the UK, while Innovator visas will help experienced entrepreneurs and business people to invest in UK businesses.
These new visas will not be assessed by Home Office employees, as they may not possess the business acumen required to assess viable and innovative business startups. Instead, business experts and official endorsing bodies will carry out essential industry checks into the viability of the ideas for startups and innovative businesses.
Reforms to Tier 1 Investor visas
Additionally, reforms to applications for Tier 1 Investor visas will help provide the UK with greater protection from investors looking to access the UK with illegal funding. These reforms will also mean that genuine investors with all essential legal funding can access Investor visas more easily. Hereon, all Tier 1 Investor visa applicants will need to prove they have had control of their £2mn funding for a minimum of two years. However, if they are unable to prove this, they will still be able to qualify provided they can be provide additional information about the source of their funding.
Tier 2 salary exemptions
UK visa applicants taking the Tier 2 (General) route for certain jobs in UK schools or the NHS will be exempt from general salary requirements. This exemption applies to secondary school teachers in maths, chemistry, physics, computer sciences or Mandarin and to NHS roles as paramedics, nurses or radiographers.
The UK Immigration Minister, Caroline Nokes, commented: “My priority is making sure that talented business people continue to see the UK as an attractive destination to develop their businesses. This will help create more jobs across the country and ensure our economy continues to thrive . . . However, what we will not tolerate is those who seek to abuse our system and that is why I am bringing forward new measures which will make sure that only genuine investors, who intend to support UK businesses, can benefit from our immigration system.”
You can find out more about the changes on the government website here.
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For expert advice and assistance in relation to any aspect of business immigration law, contact our business immigration barristers & lawyers in London on 0203 617 9173 or complete our enquiry form below.
