UK Asked to Ease Work Visa Rules for Nigerians, Other Skilled Workers
- The UK Migration Advisory Committee recommended lowering occupation-specific salary thresholds under the Skilled Worker visa route to improve access for foreign professionals
- Proposed changes were aimed at helping employers recruit workers in sectors facing shortages, including healthcare, engineering, education and information technology
- The recommendations came as UK visa fees increased across visitor, study, transit and family visa categories, raising immigration costs for applicants
The United Kingdom could open the door to more foreign professionals, including Nigerians, under proposed changes to its work visa system aimed at addressing workforce shortages across several industries.
The recommendations were put forward by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), an independent body that advises the UK government on immigration matters.
Source: Getty Images
If adopted, the proposals would alter salary requirements for key visa categories and potentially make it easier for skilled workers to secure employment in Britain, BusinessDay reported.
Could UK visa rules become easier?
At the centre of the proposals is a review of salary thresholds under the Skilled Worker visa route. The committee suggested that occupation-specific salary requirements should be linked to the 25th percentile of earnings for each profession rather than the current median wage benchmark.
Such a move would lower salary entry points for many jobs while retaining the overall salary threshold of £41,700. The committee also presented an alternative figure of £48,400 for ministers to consider, The Nation reports.
The proposed reforms are expected to benefit sectors struggling to fill vacancies, including healthcare, engineering, information technology, construction and education.
Another recommendation focuses on workers entering the labour market for the first time. The MAC proposed a single salary threshold of £33,400 for new entrants under the Skilled Worker route. The measure is intended to support younger professionals and recent graduates seeking opportunities in the UK.
Source: Getty Images
Which visa categories face changes?
The committee also called for the removal of salary discounts currently available to applicants with doctoral qualifications. Where concessions remain necessary for postdoctoral roles, it proposes a uniform threshold of £41,700 that could apply for a period of up to four years.
Changes were also suggested for Global Business Mobility routes used by multinational companies to move employees into the UK. Under the proposal, salary requirements for Senior or Specialist Workers and UK Expansion Workers would be aligned with median earnings in their respective occupations.
Graduate Trainees would face a standard salary threshold of £33,400, while occupation-specific salary requirements would be removed.
The committee further proposed a minimum salary level of £30,900 for jobs listed under the Temporary Shortage List. Employers would still be expected to pay market rates for those positions.
What about UK visa fees?
The recommendations come against the backdrop of rising visa application costs.
Recent increases saw fees for six-month visitor visas rise from £127 to £135. Charges for two-year visas increased from £475 to £506, while five-year and ten-year visas now cost £903 and £1,128 respectively.
The revised fee structure also covers study, transit and family visa categories as part of broader adjustments to the UK's immigration system.
US court blocks Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee
Previously, Legit.ng reported that a United States occupation-specific court overturned a policy introduced by President Donald Trump that imposed a $100,000 application fee on H-1B visa petitions in a significant boost to foreign professionals seeking employment opportunities in America, including many Nigerians.
The ruling was handed down on Monday, June 8, by US District Judge Leo Sorokin, who found that the former president lacked the legal authority to introduce such a requirement without approval from Congress.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
