Envoy Global’s 2024 EMEA Immigration Trends Report features exclusive insights from HR professionals across the EMEA region.
Our respondents in the United Kingdom (UK) include 647 HR and mobility professionals working across more than 40 industries. The companies represented in our report vary in terms of foreign national population size, seniority levels and countries of operation.
Read on to learn what our UK colleagues say about UK corporate immigration in 2024.
UK Employers Want IT Talent
When looking to hire foreign nationals, UK employers prioritize backgrounds in information and technology (IT). Forty-four percent of employers sponsor foreign talent for IT positions. Forty-one percent sought foreign talent for human resources and talent acquisition and an additional 38% sought foreign nationals with engineering and technical experience.
The Immigration Salary List’s Impacts on Recruitment Strategy
Recently, the UK government replaced the Occupation Shortage List (OSL) with the Immigration Salary List (ISL). The change eliminated many occupations from the government’s shortage list. Many employers (59%) felt the change impacted on their recruitment strategy. Thirty percent experienced a heavy impact on their recruitment strategy, and 11% reported no impact on their recruitment strategy.
Despite feeling the effects of the policy change, UK employers still found the ISL to be essential for their recruitment strategy.
Additionally, 80% of employers hope that the ISL will help meet their needs in certain fields.
Minimum Salary Threshold Increases
In April 2024, the UK government increased the minimum salary threshold for skilled workers to £38,700. When asked how minimum salary threshold increases would impact the hiring of foreign talent, 65% of employers said they still expect to recruit significantly more foreign talent, while 22% plan to hire fewer sponsored employees due to the changes. Despite the increase in wage requirements and additional costs for companies, employers still see the value in hiring foreign talent.
Spouse/Partner Visa Requirements
Another policy change that impacts employers in the UK is increased income requirements for spouses or partners of visa holders. Fifty-four percent of UK employers expect to see fewer applications from eligible foreign national applicants due to increased income requirements for spouses. In April 2024, minimum income requirements for spouses and partners increased to £29,000. That requirement is expected to increase later in 2024 or in 2025.
Sponsorship License Compliance Duties and Employer Confidence
Although the UK has introduced recent policy changes, 40% of employers in the country feel confident that they can manage UK sponsorship license compliance duties, which means their business holds a Sponsor License. An additional 48% are somewhat confident about managing sponsorship license compliance duties and 12% do not feel confident.
When asked how they manage their sponsorship licenses, 69% say they manage sponsorship license compliance internally, while 31% use an external agent or legal representative to manage their sponsorship licenses.
Business Travel and the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorization System (ETA)
The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorization System (ETA) is designed for visitors who are planning short visits in the UK that don’t require a visa, or who don’t have UK immigration status before traveling. The ETA took effect in 2024. It allows visa-exempt travelers to enter the UK for up to six months.
The UK government has periodically updated ETA requirements and rules for travelers since its launch, including country-specific information. The government also maintains a list of countries that require an ETA prior to traveling.
With frequent changes to the ETA program, employers feel the impacts, as evidenced in our report.
Our 2024 EMEA Immigration Trends Report shows that policy changes have diverse impacts on employers.
Download the full 2024 EMEA Immigration Trends Report to learn more and contact us with questions!
Content in this publication is for informational purposes only and not intended as legal advice, nor should it be relied on as such. Envoy is not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. If you would like guidance on how this information may impact your particular situation and you are a client of the U.S. Law Firm, consult your attorney. If you are not a client of the U.S. Law Firm working with Envoy, consult another qualified professional. This website does not create an attorney-client relationship with the U.S. Law Firm.
