Call to lower pay threshold for skilled workers to £21k

The salary threshold for skilled workers must be lowered to £21,000 to protect the rights of crucial higher education workers so that they can move to the UK after Brexit, a university lobby group has said.

Vivienne Stern, director of the international branch of the vice-chancellors’ group Universities UK (UUK), told the House of Commons Public Bill Committee scrutinising the post-Brexit immigration bill that the government’s proposed threshold of £30,000 was too high.

At hearing, held on 12 February, Stern pointed out that the median salaries for all science, engineering and production technicians, as well as language assistants, are well below the £30,000 mark.