Immigration white paper brings challenges for HR

The government has now published its white paper detailing changes that it plans to make to the visa system in the UK, and the proposals will bring significant challenges for HR departments.

One of the biggest changes listed in this paper is the requirement for those applying for Skilled Worker visas to have a degree. Anyone who wishes to qualify for one of those visas in the future will also be expected to possess a high greater English language skills.

In addition to those planned tweaks to the current system, the government is halting new social care visa applications. Extensions to existing visas for workers in that sector will be available up until 2028.

Chris Williams from the Mauve Group consultancy company spoke to HR Magazine about the white paper. He said that those in charge of recruitment would need to be stringent about documentation and right-to-work checks going forward.

He then added:

“HR leaders will also need to take a more strategic view, both balancing the need for international talent with increased investment and upskilling in domestic pipelines.”

Lynsey Blyth, who works for the Michelmores law firm as its head of immigration, stated that recruiting from the UK will be the answer for many companies. She added that new policies for training and paths to promotion would be needed.

Making that move could be difficult for some of them, especially with increased National Insurance costs. Using outsourced HR transformation services could help with the realignment, as these can assist HR teams in developing UK-focused recruitment procedures.