Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether temporary short-term workers who have availed themselves of the time-limited visa route described in The UK’s future skills-based immigration system (Cm 9722), published on 19 December 2018, will be permitted to change employers during their initial 12 months.

On 19 December 2018 the Government published its White Paper on the UK’s future skills-based immigration system. The immigration system which it outlines is designed to work for those coming to our country, businesses, our public services and the UK as a whole.

The White Paper contains proposals for a time-limited temporary short-term workers route. The White Paper sets out our initial proposals to allow these short-term workers to come to the UK for 12 months at a time, followed by a year-long cooling off period. Following that cooling off period, previous holders of a temporary short term work visa will, while the scheme remains in place, be eligible to apply for another temporary work visa to come to the UK for a further 12 month period. We will be engaging extensively with businesses and stakeholders on the length of the stay and cooling off period.

Holders of a short-term work visa will be permitted to change employers without further authorisation.