The Tier 2 work permit allowance is to be held at 20,700 for the next two years, an announcement from the government has confirmed. A report from the Migration Advisory Committee last year was used to inform the decision.
However, while the number of UK work permits allotted to each year will remain the same, the skill level required by migrants looking to work in the country will increase. As a result, a substantial number of middle-management jobs will no longer be on offer for migrant workers; instead, the country will only welcome highly-skilled migrants or those with niche skills that Britain is in need of.
Meanwhile, the rules for businesses offering highly paid and PhD jobs will be relaxed in order to reduce bureaucracy.
UK immigration minister Damian Green commented: "The government has been clear that the UK is open for business and our limit has been designed with the industry's needs in mind.
"We believe there is no incompatibility between economic growth and controlling migration - our reformed, more selective immigration system can achieve both."
As before, those looking to apply for a UK work permit on the Tier 2 level will be required to have a graduate level job, an intermediate level of English and meet a number of specific salary and employment requirements unless they are earning a salary of £150,000 or more, in which case the rules are relaxed somewhat.