Stakeholders express concerns regarding proposed 'points-based' immigration system

Article summary

The House of Commons Library has published a briefing paper with the responses from stakeholders to the government’s policy statement on a 'new points-based system' for immigration. The abolition of the resident labour market test, the decrease of the skills and salary thresholds and the suspension of the cap on the number of work visas available are proposals that have all been welcomed. However, concerns have been expressed regarding other areas, such as the absence of a transitional visa category to help employers adapt to Brexit, the impact on sectors with multiple low-paid or low-skilled jobs and the continuation of a national salary threshold without regional variation. Concerns were also expressed regarding the costs and administrative burdens surrounding sponsoring work visas and the ‘ambitious timetable’ for the system’s implementation.