The Migration Policy Group is a forum for senior HR, public policy, recruitment professionals interested in influencing or understanding the immigration landscape impacting the technology industry. The group supports techUK in attaining the tech sector’s desired outcomes from both the current and future immigration system.
Given frequent government changes in immigration policy, the group provides an essential platform for collaboration and insight to ensure the tech sector’s needs are addressed in current and future immigration systems.
techUK is a part of the Home Office’s Employer Advisory Group, which is a government engagement group looking at post-Brexit immigration policy and the development and design of the future immigration system, and will continue to work on members' behalf.
techUK, through this forum, has provided numerous immigration briefings to Members of Parliament and key stakeholders. The group has hosted speakers from: Home Office, Department for Business and Trade, and Migration Advisory Committee.
techUK wins - The points-based immigration system includes many aspects of techUK's successful campaign outreach and engagement:
- techUK has successfully campaigned to get two-year post-study work visa reinstated which was launched as the Graduate route in Summer 2021. This is an important step forward in creating a fair and managed immigration system.
- Called for the removal of the cap on talent on Tier 2 general visa routes and removal of the Resident Labour Market Test which significantly hampered the ability of the tech sector to recruit talent in the past. The removing of these policies was announced in Government's 2020 policy statement and has also been extended to the Global Talent visa and post-study work visa which is wholly welcome.
- Proposed lowering the skill level required for entry to RQF Level 3 - The tech sector is a high-skill industry, but it requires the best and the brightest from all skill levels. techUK has long campaigned to reduce the salary and skill levels of any immigration system.
- Pushed for allowing migrants to switch visas in country - Under the Points-Based System, the Home Office allows most migrants to apply to switch from one immigration route to another without having to leave the UK. This will support employers in retaining the talented staff that they have invested in and includes the Graduate route. This is something techUK has long campaign for.
- Home Office extended visas for those affected by COVID-19 - The Home Office announced that it will extend the visas of people unable to return to their home countries due to COVID-19. Foreign nationals whose UK visas expire after 24 January 2020 and are unable to leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19 will have their visas extended to 31 May 2020.
Publications:
- What are the UK's AI Opportunities Action Plan’s proposals for immigration? - insight on the importance of the inclusion of the High Potential Individual (HPI) in the UK's AI Opportunities Action Plan.
- All you need to know about eVisas, ETA’s and the digitalisation of UK’s immigration system - blog by Ross Kennedy, Senior Client Manager, Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law
- techUK published it's Seven Tech Priorities for the next government, ahead of the General Election in 2024 which included a number of recommendations on lowing the costs of the visa system.
- techUK has published its asks of the post-Brexit immigration system - developing a set of proposals based on the principles that we believe are necessary to support the UK’s thriving tech sector. techUK members are making significant investments to skill the domestic pipeline of future tech talent and their current workforce, with much being done regarding upskilling, retraining and lifelong learning, but there is an immediate need for skilled labour in the tech sector.
- The UK’s Points-Based Immigration System – a techUK analysis of Home Office documents and comment by CEO Julian David.
- techUK provided written evidence to the House of Commons Public Bill Committee of the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill 2019-21. Read the full written evidence submitted by techUK (IB20) to the House of Commons Scrutiny Unit.
- Consultation on tech occupations in shortage for immigration system - techUK provided a response to the Migration Advisory Committee Call for Evidence on the Shortage Occupation List - RQF Levels 3-5 (medium skill).
- Lower minimum salary threshold for future UK immigration system - The Migration Advisory Committee has published its recommendations on the UK’s future immigration system. Read techUK’s analysis and comment by Deputy CEO Antony Walker.
- techUK responsed to the Migration Advisory Committee call for evidence to advise on the future system of salary thresholds and points-based system.
Get in touch:
Nimmi Patel
Nimmi Patel
Nimmi Patel is the Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity at techUK. She works on all things skills, education, and future of work policy, focusing on upskilling and retraining. Nimmi is also an Advisory Board member of Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (digit). The Centre research aims to increase understanding of how digital technologies are changing work and the implications for employers, workers, job seekers and governments.
Prior to joining the techUK team, she worked for the UK Labour Party and New Zealand Labour Party, and holds an MA in Strategic Communications at King’s College London and BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Manchester. She also took part in the 2024-25 University of Bath Institute for Policy Research Policy Fellowship Programme and is the Education and Skills Policy Co-lead for Labour in Communications.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 07805744520
- Twitter:
- @nimmiptl
- Website:
- www.techuk.org
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nimmi-patel1/