Yesterday, the immigration minister, Tom Pursglove announced details of when the major changes to the Immigration Rules, announced on 4 December 2023, will come into force.  This included the following key dates, of significant relevance to employers sponsoring Skilled Worker migrants:

• 14 March: removal of the 20% going rate discount in minimum salary threshold for Shortage Occupations.
• 4 April: the minimum salary threshold for Skilled Workers rises 48% from £26,200 to £38,700. 

This announcement, combined with the imminent 66% increase in the Immigration Health Surcharge to £1,035 on 6 February 2024 means that employers need to carefully plan their pipeline of sponsored Skilled Worker employees, to avoid a nasty surprise in terms of the costs involved.

Should you require any assistance with this process please do not hesitate to contact our expert immigration team.