No Visas For Unskilled Nigerians, Others To The U.K In 2021

The UK government under Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has revealed its plans to restrict visas to Nigerians and other non-UK citizens who are unskilled and are non-English speaking, as part of its post-Brexit immigration policies.

The policy defines skilled workers to include A-level/Scottish Higher-equivalent standard, not just graduate level.

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The government disclosed this in a policy paper published Wednesday, 19 days after the UK left the European Union, on January 3, 2020.

Under the ‘point based immigration system’, which would take effect from January 1, 2021, the UK said that immigrants would be rated on a 70-point scale, where they are able to prove their English proficiency, ability to proof specific skills, qualification and prospective salary structure.

The UK added that the policy would affect members of the EU who are not UK citizens after December 31, which marks the end of the transition period (including free movement) of the Brexit deal.

The UK Office for National Statistics said on May 18, 2018 that over 190,000 Nigerians live in the UK, and 102, 000 of them had Nigerian citizenship.

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UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel, told LBC radio that the policy would, “bring overall migration numbers down” while attracting “the brightest and the best from around the globe,”

How Nigerians Can Earn The 70 Points?

  • Nigerians and other non-UK citizens must have a proven English proficiency and a skilled job with an approved sponsorship would fetch 50 points. 
  •  Other relevant qualifications like a PhD in a STEM subject would fetch 20 points to mark up the 70% benchmark. 
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