Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to encourage employers to apply for sponsor licences before the end of free movement and the implementation of the proposed new points-based immigration system in 2021.

It is vital that employers are prepared for implementation of the new points-based immigration system. That is why we are providing certainty and support on the system now.

The Home Office has already launched a comprehensive programme of communications and engagement to help employers understand the system and how to prepare.

Throughout 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic, and since the Policy Statement was published in February 2020, we have facilitated hundreds of engagement events, reaching thousands of stakeholders and continue to hold regular events across the UK and a wide range of sectors.

We have published an introduction to the points-based immigration system for employers and launched a direct email campaign to enable businesses to sign-up to receive updates on the system’s implementation. Furthermore, we have and continue to work other departments across government, who are supporting the Home Office in promoting our messages to employers.

A nationwide marketing campaign will roll out later this year, using a wide range of channels to reach our audiences, such as radio, video-on-demand and outdoor advertising