The United Kingdom (UK) has been warned of an impending economic downturn occasioned by tough immigration rules set to take effect from April 4, 2024.
This was communicated by Dentons, which is one of the world's largest global law firms.
While the UK government announced it was introducing strict visa restrictions to reduce net migration figures, Denton figures this will have a negative impact in the long term.
“These changes are likely to increase the cost of hiring migrant workers, prompting businesses to consider reassessing their budgets,” Dentons warned.
UK will replace the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) with the Immigration Salary List (ISL) which will use the amount earned by an individual to determine if they will be extended a stay Visa.
As part of the new rules, the UK government has outlined that the minimum basic annual salary to apply for a Skilled Worker Visa will increase from £26,200 (Ksh4.4 million) to £38,700 (Ksh6.5 million) for new applicants.
Additionally, the new regulations introduce a new provision which requires applicants to have held their current permission for one year to qualify for settlement on the basis of long residency.
This requirement will be waived if the applicant has been exempted from immigration control within the 12 months immediately before their application.
Additionally, Kenyans and other foreign nationals seeking to relocate to the UK will be required to provide proof of English proficiency and competence.
In regards to that, the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) will be accepted as evidence of English language ability.
According to the International Migrant Stock (IMS), there are over 150,000 Kenyans living in the United Kingdom.
This number is expected to increase as Kenya continues to engage the UK in bilateral labour agreements.
