A recent report has found that the UK is viewed by professionals as one of the most attractive countries in the world to relocate to, second only to the United States.

Making immigration work in the national interest can be ensured by bringing down net migration to sustainable levels, while still attracting the best talent the rest of the world has to offer, said Home Secretary Theresa May in a recent speech at the Policy Exchange.

Rules have been laid in parliament confirming changes to Tier 2 of the points based system.

Minimum annual pay is the best way to select which highly skilled migrant workers should be eligible for settlement, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has recommended.

Specialist jobs that are no longer required in the UK will be removed from a government-approved list that helps to ensure the UK only accepts migrant workers that the country needs.