Figures from the Office of National Statistics confirm that a total of 728,000 people (non EU nationals) came to the UK in the year ending June 2024.

• 52% of the migrants were male and 48% were female
• 82% were between 16 and 64 years old

The top 5 nationalities were:

1. Indian (240,000)
2. Nigerian (120,000)
3. Pakistani (101,000)
4. Chinese (78,000)
5. Zimbabwean (36,000)

The majority of people (417,000) came to the UK to work, followed by study (375,000). 76,000 people came to the UK to join family members.

The routes most significantly affected due to changes in the Immigration Rules were the Health and Care Worker visa and student visa routes, as they are no longer permitted to bring their dependants to the UK.

Deadline for E-Visas – Apply Now!

Over 3 million people have started the process of accessing their e-Visa by creating a UKVI account.

For those who haven’t made the switch yet, Home Office Guidance states that if physical documents, such as a Biometric Residence Permit, have expired, it is still possible to use the expired BRP’s to travel in and out of the UK before 31^st March 2025.

It is advisable to start the e-Visa process as soon as possible so that individuals are able to instantly and securely prove their immigration rights.  The process is free and there is guidance and information available on www.gov.uk for those who are uncertain on how to complete it.

Immigration Salary List – What is it and How Does it Benefit Businesses?

The Immigration Salary List consists of a variety of jobs that the Home Office deem to be key sectors which need to be filled at a lower salary than the minimum requirement of £38,700.

The jobs on the list include:

• Pharmacists
• Graphic designers
• Some farming and fishing roles
• Construction workers
• Vets
• Health and care workers

Businesses in the above sectors can recruit migrant workers provided that they meet the requirements of the immigration rules on sponsorship. The sponsoring company also must ensure that the individual candidates they wish to employ have the relevant number of points needed for the Skilled Worker route.

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