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.
{"content":"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"}
You may also be interest in…
Credit: Getty Images
‘Our manifesto is a punchy summary of the areas that are of vital importance to us within the equine sector’
‘Horses have changed all of our lives for the better’
Credit: Bill Selwyn
British Racing is investing £1m to attract more people to work as stable staff to fill a shortfall of 400,
Credit: Janos Borbely
‘Do something amazing and nominate your unsung hero today and let them know how valued they really are’
Some riders have been fined more than £30,000 for failing to pay their staff the minimum wage
Credit: Su Burrows
The Olympic gold medallist has become the first patron of the British Grooms Association
