Following news that the government plans to introduce a points-based policy that will tighten up the laws around immigration of ‘unskilled’ workers, H&H canvasses opinion from racing, polo and beyond on the impact it could have on the equestrian world...
A new points-based immigration policy that tightens up on “unskilled” workers has been welcomed by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), but met mixed reactions from other areas of the industry.
The proposal, announced on 19 February means migrants can only enter the UK with a job offer that meets the salary threshold of £25,600. In areas of a recognised skills shortage, this will be £20,480.
Migrants must prove they can speak English, but other criteria are flexible; workers can meet the points requirement if they have high-level qualifications in a relevant subject.
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"}
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