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The Impact of Brexit on Migrant Employment

The Impact of Brexit on Migrant Employment in the UK

29 Nov 2024


Migrant workers have made invaluable contributions to the UK economy and society. From healthcare to technology, their skills and expertise have fueled innovation and growth. As Brexit reshapes the labor market, it's essential to understand the impact on these vital contributors. Do you know how Brexit affected migrant employment and global money transfer? Brexit is a combination of two words, British and Exit. It was the time when the UK left the European Union. EU is a collaborative Union of European countries. On 23 June 2016, British people voted to leave the EU. There were numerous reasons for Brexit, but it significantly impacted migrant employment. EU is a group of 27 countries that decided to work together and help each other. The UK is one of the most robust economies, and allowing too many people could affect its growth.

Exiting from the EU impacted many political and economic sectors of the UK. The employment sector had a significant effect after Brexit. It brings many changes to the lives of migrants. Getting jobs in the UK became a challenging task. It was due to the shift in the job market. The government of the UK started preferring native citizens for the reputed jobs. Thus, migrant employment was disturbed and faced a downfall. Here is a detail of Brexit's impact on migrant employment:

Brexit’s Effect on Migrant Employment in the UK

Brexit is one of the most significant events in history. It changed many terms and policies of the European Union and affected migrants. It disturbed the remittance cycle and became a barrier to making a money transfer. Migrants now face stricter requirements and increased costs, making securing jobs and sending money back home more challenging.

History of Brexit

Brexit points to the specific event when Britain's government decided to quit the EU. Many countries have agreed to support each other by allowing migrants to stay in any of the EU countries. As the UK is a stable economy, after the development of the EU, migrants from different EU countries moved to the UK and applied for jobs in various positions. It produced unfavorable conditions for the native people of the UK. Few jobs were left in the market, and they faced severe issues in finding jobs. In 2016, voting was held, and 51% of people in the UK voted to quit the EU.

Post-Brexit Immigration Policies

After Brexit, the UK government introduced new policies for migrants, including changes to the visa process and application challenges. 

Read More about the new UK visa regulations and what migrants need to know before they decide to move here.

Visa Requirements and Application Challenges

Migrant visa policies were changed, as migrants had to secure jobs before immigration. Work permit policies became strict, and the number of work permits issued decreased somewhat. Additionally, the prices of work permits increased, making it difficult for migrants to get them. This also became a barrier to money transfers, and people could not send money online globally. Changes were made in:

  • Work permit duration
  • Residency permit ( it has become difficult for people to extend their visa)
  • Visa extension
  • Increase in prices of visa
  • Increase of bank statement balance requirement
  • Complex documentation procedure
  • Multiple interviews
  • Strict embassy polices

After Effects of Brexit

After Brexit, new policies were made especially for immigrants to control the flow of migrants in the UK. For some time, the UK stopped granting work permits. Also, the residency and citizenship policies became strict. Getting citizenship in the UK is not easy now, as migrants must manage to stay for seven years or more in the UK. For migrants, getting a job has been difficult as the government prefers UK citizens. Moreover, an immigration point-based system was introduced. According to this, migrants have to meet specific skill, salary, and language requirements.

Effects on Migrants' Rights and Working Conditions

Immigrants who are already in the UK face severe issues maintaining their statuses. They have to choose their residency status, such as settled or resettled. Selecting the status is necessary to maintain legal rights. It becomes difficult for migrants to maintain their rights. They face challenges accessing the law for workplace problems or other legal issues.

Increase in Temporary Employment

Although it was difficult for immigrants to get jobs, most were temporary. They were only to fill the gap caused by a shortage. A temporary work permit was granted to migrants so the company could find a native employee during this duration. Temporary jobs were a cause of tension because they had no permanent solution to their problem. Migrants were unable to send money to their relatives frequently.

Job Market Changes for Migrants

Getting jobs in reputed and highly paid positions was difficult for migrants. Most seats started getting reserved for native people. EU people with the freedom to access all liberties faced severe issues accessing UK resources.

Lack of Employment for Migrants

There were only a few spaces left for migrants. After making strict policies for immigrants, the UK suffered a labor shortage, so immigrants were only encouraged when there was a labor shortage. Only highly skilled immigrants got the chance to secure jobs in the UK, and people with less experience or average backgrounds faced difficulty getting the job.

Recent Job Market Trends in the UK for Migrants

Although immigration policies are still strict, migrants must follow several crucial steps to get jobs in the UK. The UK job market is low for migrants, but now the salaries have improved, which means migrants can maximize their money transfer.

Emerging Job Opportunities in the UK

Due to the UK labor shortage, there is a need for migrant workers in many sectors, like healthcare, construction, IT, teaching, and technology. Migrants globally can access opportunities but have to follow the same policies, which include:

  • Documentation requirement
  • Residency permit
  • Visa (Specified Type)
  • Work permit
  • Bank balance
  • Clearance of English Language Test ( IELTS TOEFL)

Demanding Work Sectors of the UK

The UK is now hitting people from countries like Nigeria, the Philippines, Ghana, and India. There is high demand for medical, technology, science, finance, construction, and engineering fields. If you secure a job in the UK, you can easily migrate to the UK and send money to your families.

Brexit holds great importance in the history of the UK. It brings many changes, especially for expats. It was the time when the people decided to step back from the EU. Stepping back from the EU impacted the EU people living in the UK. They suffered employment issues and had little access to the law. Moreover, the UK government closed most of the employment opportunities for migrants. The visa and work permit policies get strict, and people struggle to meet UK visa requirements. Moreover, the price of work permits and the UK visa increased, which became a barrier for worldwide migrants.

Post-Brexit Realities: How Migrants Face New Challenges in the UK

Brexit leaves a significant impact on the lives of the migrants. Before Brexit, people in the UK, especially, had the ease of moving to the UK without following any strict policies. But after that, migrants suffered severely. The UK is well known for its stable economy, high living rate, and job opportunities. Every migrant wants to work in the UK to send money online to go home with more significant benefits. However, Brexit became a barrier to remittance as the migrants suffered from employment. There were only a few jobs left for migrants, with strict policies and rules. There were only temporary job opportunities for migrants, which impacted migrant employment.

After Brexit, new immigrant policies were introduced. It becomes compulsory for migrants to secure a job in the UK first, and then they will get a visa. For this, migrants must apply to a UK company before moving to get a work permit and work visa. A based immigration system was introduced in which migrants' pay, character, and qualification will be considered in points. The prices of visas and work permits have increased. The UK government increased the requirement for bank balance. After that, the UK suffered from a labor shortage, so it started accepting migrants globally.

FAQs

What is Brexit?

Brexit is a compound word with two syllables, meaning Britain Exit. It refers to the event when the UK government decided to step back from the EU—a union of 27 countries working together to help people.

What is the impact of Brexit on migrant employment?

Brexit impacted migrants' employment in the UK as the country changed its policies for migrants. There were fewer and stricter working opportunities for migrants, and the cost of UK visas and work permits increased, impacting migrants' employment.

What are the impacts of Brexit on remittance from the UK?

Brexit reduced remittance from the UK because only a few people were working in the UK. Migrants didn't have favorable working conditions to secure jobs in the UK/

Why does the UK suffer a labor shortage?

Due to strict immigration policies, it has become difficult for people to secure jobs. Moreover, an increase in the visa fee made employment unfavorable for migrants in the UK. This is the result of Brexit and strict migration policies.

How can migrants send money from the UK to their homelands?

Migrants can send money from the UK through digital banks, mobile apps, digital wallets, and online remittance transfer services. ACE is one of the leading remittance services connecting UK migrants with their homelands.


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