UK employers race for staff visas ahead of new immigration rules

UK employers are racing to submit visa applications for skilled staff ahead of changes by Rishi Sunak’s government to immigration rules that will sharply increase the costs of hiring overseas.

Immigration lawyers said some clients were already withdrawing job offers because they would need to pay much higher salaries to people recruited on skilled worker visas from April. This is on top of a big increase that took effect this week in the fees charged for overseas staff to use the NHS.

Other companies have brought forward hiring plans and renewed visas for existing employees ahead of time, in an effort to secure their status before costs rise. At the same time, the Home Office is stepping up scrutiny of employers in a clampdown on visa fraud and labour abuses.

Lawyers said the changes — part of government reforms aimed at cutting inward migration by 300,000 a year ahead of the next election — had resulted in a logjam of applications and a daily fight to secure the few slots on offer for fast-track processing.

“There is a last-minute rush to get in under the wire,” said Nicolas Rollason, head of business immigration at law firm Kingsley Napley.

The Home Office said it did not recognise claims of delays, adding: “All applications for certificates of sponsorship, which meet government requirements, are fulfilled within our published service timelines.”

But Chetal Patel, head of immigration at Bates Wells, said employers were “panicking” as time ran out to hire on current salaries, and writing clauses into contracts so they could claw back visa fees if recruits left jobs early.

Uncertainty over the details of the new rules has heightened businesses’ concerns. In December, home secretary James Cleverly said the main salary floor for skilled worker visas would rise from £26,200 to £38,700 from April.

The increase could price out employers in sectors such as hospitality and manufacturing who use the system to fill roles ranging from chefs to welders.