Home Office publishes its latest statement of changes, takes effect on 6 July 2018
A new statement of changes to the Immigration Rules (HC1154) has been published today.
Image credit: UK GovernmentIt's 55 pages long (excluding the explanatory memorandum) and you can access it from here.
The accompanying explanatory memorandum says the main purposes of the changes are to:
• Make provision for returning residents, including those affected by Windrush.
• Create a route for Afghan locally engaged staff to apply for settlement in the UK and to extend the ex-gratia redundancy scheme by six years, to include those made redundant on or after 1 May 2006.
• Create a new settlement route for Turkish ECAA business persons, workers and their family members.
• Create a new form of leave for people, transferred to the UK under the Dubs amendment, who do not qualify for international protection.
• Exempt all doctors and all nurses from the annual Tier 2 (General) limit.
• Create new provisions in the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) category.
The changes take effect on 6 July 2018.
A separate Home Office press release here gives more information on the decision to take doctors and nurses out of Tier 2 visa cap.
The move will mean there will be no restriction on the numbers of doctors and nurses who can be employed by the NHS through the Tier 2 visa route.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: "I recognise the pressures faced by the NHS and other sectors in recent months. Doctors and nurses play a vital role in society and at this time we need more in the UK. That is why I have reviewed our skilled worker visa route. This is about finding a solution to increased demand and to support our essential national services."
The Home Office says that as well as providing a boost to the NHS, it will also free up hundreds of additional places a month within the cap for other highly skilled occupations, such as engineers, IT professionals and teachers.
According to the Home Office, the NHS currently accounts for around 40% of all Tier 2 places.