Implications of New Migrant Rules on Staffing and Family Plans

Employers in Northern Ireland are concerned that new migration rules, which raise the minimum salary threshold for skilled overseas workers, may lead to staff shortages in manufacturing, care, and food production. The increased threshold of £38,700 is well above the average salary in Northern Ireland. Some employers argue that the salary requirement is too high and will limit their ability to grow. Additionally, the rules will not apply to certain sectors such as health and social care, but overseas care workers will not be able to bring in family dependents. This could further exacerbate the labor shortage in Northern Ireland, where there is already a lack of available local labor.