Changes to immigration laws relating to Tier 2, entrepreneurs and visitors

The government has has announced changes to the immigration rules today which it claims will benefit businesses, international students and skilled workers. The changes include amendments to the business visitor route to allow employees to undertake corporate training in the UK where it is delivered by an external company. Global organisations will also be able to bring their own auditors to the UK on a business visitor visa, making it easier for them to complete international audits and business visitors will be able to do a short course of study while they are here. The changes are claimed to also make the UK more attractive to international students by allowing them to take up corporate internships after completing their degree and making it easier for graduate entrepreneurs to take up skilled jobs. Graduate entrepreneur visa holders will be able to switch to a skilled workers visa more easily under the new rules, as they be treated as a “new entrant” salary and the UK employer will not have to advertise for the role (called the Resident Labour Market Test).