Revised Immigration Rules ' Building Blocks For Overseas Construction Workers?

• Law Firm: Herrington Carmichael
• Subject Matter: Real Estate and Construction, Immigration, Construction & Planning, General Immigration, Work Visas
• Author: Usof Shah
• Published date: 28 March 2023

Post-Brexit, industries across the board were rocked to the core. Many overseas workers left the UK, which in turn led to a chronic shortfall in UK workforce. Coupled with Covid and the economic crisis, there is no doubt that times are tough. One industry that has been particularly hard-hit is the Construction Industry.

This week, the government announced plans to relax immigration rules in a bid to attract more overseas construction workers to the UK. Their plans hope to address a labour shortage in the Construction Industry, by enabling overseas construction workers to work on the Skilled Worker Visa route.

To recap very briefly, in August 2022 the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) were tasked by the government to carry out a report into the Shortage Occupation List ('SOL') to make it easier for overseas workers to come to the UK and work on Skilled Worker Visas. The SOL includes roles deemed, by the government, to be in short supply within the UK's labour market. In their interim report, the MAC proposed that many roles in the Construction Industry should be added.

What are the proposed changes?

The government have accepted the MAC's recommendations, that the following five roles should be added to the SOL:

• Bricklayers and masons
• Carpenters and joiners
• Plasterers
• Roofers, roof tilers and slaters
• Construction and building trades n.e.c.

Adding these professions to the SOL will allow for companies employing those falling under any one of the above categories to bring in overseas workers on a lower salary level of '20,480 and pay lower government visa fees.

This cost is...