Here’s our checklist to ensure that you’re ready for the 1st January changes:

• Complete a workforce audit analysing the nationalities of employees in your business. If you rely on EU workers and want this to continue those EU workers will have to apply for settled or pre settled status by 30th June 2021. Remember though that it’s the responsibility of the individual to make their application to the scheme, which means that you cannot ask them to apply and cannot check that they apply.

• Consider your future needs and if your business is likely to need to fill a skills gap by recruiting a foreign national start the process sooner rather than later. You will need to apply for a sponsorship licence and this process can take a while so it’s best to get prepared before you break for the Christmas period.

• There will be no requirement to complete a Resident Labour Market Test (RMLT) This means that you will no longer have to advertise a position and confirm that you have been unable to fill the position by a UK National before making a job offer (sighs of relief all round as this part of the process was particularly laborious)

• The minimum salary levels have been reduced and the current minimum salary payable of £30,000 per annum has been reduced to £25,600 per year (with further flexibility if you want to sponsor an individual under 26 or somebody switching from a student visa)

• There will be no cap on the number of workers that you can sponsor and employers will be given a certain number of certificates every year depending on their recruitment needs.

Sadly, none of us can be completely prepared for what will happen at the end of the transition period next year but, the best way to prepare is to do as much forward planning as possible. So, if you haven’t already done so already now is the time to start to review your businesses needs for 2021.