UK’s HBAA welcomes removal of minimum salary for migrant workers

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced his government is to remove the proposed £30,000 minimum salary for migrant workers after Brexit (31 January). Johnson says the UK intends to follow an Australian-style points system, which would rate individuals who want to move to the UK based on their skills, experience, qualifications, ability to speak English and whether they were willing to work in areas where there are shortages of labour. Lex Butler, Chair of UK booking agents association, HBAA (pictured) said: “The Prime Minister’s rethink on the £30,000 (US39,093) minimum salary threshold for migrants is being welcomed by the hospitality and events sector. Otherwise many thousands of highly trained and skilled workers from the EU and the rest of the world would not be able to come to work here.” The HBAA has also announced, at its 2020 ‘Kick-Off’ meeting in Brighton recently, it is to adopt a ‘regeneration’ theme for 2020, which aims to restructure the association and increase its relevance within the UK meetings industry. To implement this change, the association has created new roles on its executive committee including a Sustainability Chair, Training Chair, Partnerships Chair and Nextgen Chairs. The HBAA Kick-Off sessions included discussions on Esports and how the topic presented a revenue stream of opportunity for the event and hospitality industry. Esport events do not require standardised or large capacity venues as the audience participates online.