The government’s “remarkably low” limit on ’exceptional talent’ route will make it hard to attract the world’s top talent, according to Nick Hobson, senior solicitor in the immigration team at law firm Speechly Bircham.

Yesterday, Home Secretary Theresa May said the government would be introducing an annual limit of 21,700 for those coming into the UK under the skilled and highly skilled routes – 20,700 under the skilled route and 1,000 under a new ’exceptional talent’ route.

Hobson says: “It is clear that the measures announced today represent significant changes to routes of entry to the UK and are well beyond the changes to Tiers 1 and 2 which were expected.

“The consultations conducted by the government and MAC [Migration Advisory Committee] gave no indication that the Tier 1 (General) route would be closed, and so employers and migrants have continued to plan future applications.

“Employers and migrants will now have to scramble to submit Tier 1 applications before the route closes or look at registering as a sponsor under Tier 2. It is hard to envisage how the remarkably low limit of 1,000 applications for exceptionally talented individuals will attract the world’s brightest and best stars.

“Employers who regularly recruit graduate level roles or who transfer employees to the UK will be relieved that the Tier 2 route has been maintained. However, those employers who are reliant upon lower skilled migrants from overseas will be more affected, regardless of importance of those roles to the sector or the public.”