All Public Authorities in UK to ensure that Immigrants working for them speak fluent English
“The Immigration Officials will be empowered to close any premises for upto 48 hours suspecting of employing any illegal immigrant”
Though date for this has not yet been confirmed by the authorities, UK has announced a major change that may affect hundreds of immigrants working in Public Offices in UK
Under the change, all Public Authorities would have to ensure that the employees working with them speak fluent English. The requirements of fluency have also been laid down.
Immigration Officials have also been empowered to close any premises for upto 48 hours where the employer is not able to satisfy that he has conducted the rights to work checks.
Effective April 2017, Employers would also be levied Immigration Skill charge for sponsoring non EEA nationals immigrating under Tier 2 of the point based system
Marginal Increase in Minimum Wage Rates-Apart from the above, following wage rate changes have also been announced;
Effective 1st October 2016, minimum national wage rates have been marginally enhanced and would be fixed as follows
Workers, aged between 25 and above- to continue at £7.20 per hour
- Workers aged 21-24 years, wage rate would stand increased from £6.70 to £6.95
- Workers aged 18 to 20 years, the wage rate revised from £5.30 to £5.55;
- Yong workers, aged between 16-17 years, would be paid at £4.00 against £3.70 now;
- Apprentices would be paid at £3.40 against £3.30 earlier.
Henceforth all the wage rate revisions would be effective April each year, next one being scheduled for April 2017.
Apart from above the Government would be levying apprenticeship levy for units paying above £3 million and the workers getting exit payments would have to repay where they are re-employed.