The Coalition Government’s temporary visa cap on non-EU immigration commences today.
The interim visa limit of 24,100 applications will be applied from July 19 to April 2011, when a permanent cap is due to come into force. The UK Government is currently consulting businesses and the public on the level of the limit to be introduced next year.
The interim limit will be divided into monthly limits that once reached will mean no further applications will be considered until the next month. Applications received will be held in a queue in order of the date of application till the following month's limit is opened.
The interim limits will apply to all new applicants under Tier 1 (General), except for extension applications and in-country applications.
Applications under Tier 2 (General) will be limited to the number of Employer Sponsorship Licences that are issued.
UK Immigration minister Damian Green laid before Parliament on Friday the rule changes that allow the Home Secretary to limit the overall number of Sponsorship Licences that may be assigned to businesses during any particular period, and the number of certificates of sponsorship that may be assigned to individual sponsors.
