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The Immigration Health Surcharge is to increase from £400 to £624 in October 2020, the government has announced. The rise was confirmed during the Budget, which Chancellor Rishi Sunak presented to Parliament today. An accompanying policy costings document states:  This measure increases the Immigration Health Surcharge from the current level of £400 per year to £624 per year for each surcharge liable non-EEA temporary migrant (including dependants). The measure also increases the discounted rate for students, their dependents and those on the Youth Mobility Scheme from £300 to £470. The surcharge will also be set at £470 for all children under the age of 18. This will be implemented in October 2020 and expanded to include future EEA temporary migrants at the increased rate from January 2021. The Conservatives had promised to increase the surcharge to this level during the 2019 general election campaign, so it is not news in that sense, but the timing of the increase was not previously known. Migrants already pay for the NHS through their taxes, so what the surcharge really represents is a tax on UK visas. It is levied in addition to headline visa application fees. These do not appear to be rising in 2020/21 — but the health surcharge hike will push up the total cost of many visas anyway. From Free Movement: https://www.freemovement.org.uk/immigration-health-surcharge-rising-to-624-in-october-2020/

When Dr Nazia Hussein spent six months researching class and gender identity in Bangladesh for her PhD at Warwick University in 2009, she had no idea that, a decade later, the Home Office would use this to refuse her application for permanent residency. From The Guardian. * Britain received the highest number of immigrants from outside the European Union since 2004 in the year to the end of September. From Reuters. * After officially leaving the European Union last month, the United Kingdom’s Home Office has now shared new regulations that will require EU musicians to apply for Tier 5 visas in order to tour once the transition to Brexit ends in December of 2020. From Hypebeast. * By 2030, British businesses will run out of university graduates who can become highly skilled workers, should the Government’s new immigration policies be put into practice, a report has found. From iNews. * Small business leaders are warning of a 15-year shortfall in social care staffing unless the government introduces a special visa for carers. From Yahoo. * What’s a skilled worker? And other immigration questions. From BBC.

The UK is introducing a points-based immigration system from 2021. Visa application process New immigration routes will open from autumn 2020 for applications to work, live and study in the UK from 1 January 2021. Skilled workers The points-based system will include a route for skilled workers who have a job offer from an approved employer sponsor. From January 2021, the job you’re offered will need to be at a required skill level of RQF3 or above (equivalent to A level). You’ll also need to be able to speak English. The minimum general salary threshold will be reduced to £25,600. Low-skilled workers There will not be an immigration route specifically for low-skilled workers. International students and graduates Student visa routes will be opened up to EU, EEA and Swiss citizens. A new graduate immigration route will be available to international students who have completed a degree in the UK from summer 2021. You’ll be able to work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to 2 years. Visiting the UK EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and other non-visa nationals will not require a visa to enter the UK when visiting the UK for up to 6 months. From gov.uk