A new immigration system is due to be rolled out from January 2021 and the government is now hard at work on its design. Changes will include new digital processes and new rules for workers and students.
The Home Office has announced details of five core advisory groups which it says have been established to ‘deepen engagement between government and industry as the future skills-based immigration system is developed’.
The five groups are:
- Employers’ Advisory Group – consisting of groups representing major employers across the UK
- Education Sector Advisory Group – made up of groups representing universities and colleges
- Crossing the Border Advisory Group – composed of organisations representing the aviation, maritime and rail sectors
- National Advisory Group – consisting of groups representing organisations from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
- Vulnerability Advisory Group – made up of organisations representing vulnerable individuals
A list of all the organisations that are in each group can be found here.
The Law Society is a member of the Employers’ Advisory Group. Carter Thomas Solicitors’ head of immigration, Nichola Carter, is a member of The Law Society’s Immigration Law Committee and said:
‘I was fortunate to be part of a small advisory group that engaged with the Home Office in 2007/8 when the current Points Based System was developed. The system that is being designed for 2021 is ambitious and will utilise innovative technological solutions. Whilst it is exciting to see such ambition, significant changes to the system can create problems for migrants, employers and education providers, as we’ve already seen this year with a lack of appointments for applicants in the UK and emerging issues with eGates. Meaningful, in-depth engagement is going to be vital in ensuring that the new design is truly capable of meeting the demands of the post-Brexit immigration system.’
We have covered what is currently known about the new immigration system for students, workers and entrepreneurs.
