Overseas riders 2021season

[Jonny the spud]

With today’s announcement that as of January next year workers seeking to come to the UK must have a minimum salary of £25,600, does this mean that clubs will have to start offering legally binding contracts with a stipulated wage before permits are allowed ? 

[Grachan]

I'm guessing they would come on a sporting and creative visa, which is probably different to the normal working visas.

They did crack down on overseas speedway riders a few years back.

[HGould]

16 minutes ago, Jonny the spud said:

With today’s announcement that as of January next year workers seeking to come to the UK must have a minimum salary of £25,600, does this mean that clubs will have to start offering legally binding contracts with a stipulated wage before permits are allowed ? 

Way too soon to know I would think.

Must be some allowance for anyone who has worked here before and highly unlikely not to include ex or current Commonwealth Countries.

It may stop a few newcomers but that may be no bad thing anyway with so many british riders out of a job 

[Grachan]

2 minutes ago, HGould said:

Way too soon to know I would think.

Must be some allowance for anyone who has worked here before and highly unlikely not to include ex or current Commonwealth Countries.

It may stop a few newcomers but that may be no bad thing anyway with so many british riders out of a job 

Commonwealth countries have to follow the same immigration rules as non-commonwealth countries. Also, it will make no difference if people have worked here before. These rules are already in place though, with, for example, Australian riders.

I can't see it making any difference. I hope not, anyway. The only likely impact will be on riders from the EU, who will have to follow the same rules as non-EU riders.

[greyhoundp]

I continue to be amazed how visas are issued when british riders are without Teams, I have personal experience of how difficult it is to obtain a normal visa, so why Speedway riders/sportsmen have a different easier criteria is beyond me. In my opinion the first question any Team needs to be asked when sponsoring a foreign rider is; Is there a British rider available for this team place ?.

I believe foreign riders need to have finished in the Top 4 of State Championships, or American finals, so will it mean that only the top four from the Danish, Swedish, Polish championships can ride in the UK?, if so that should mean there are plenty of places for British riders , however im sure the BSPA will find a way around it so that they can continue to use none British nationals in there teams, hoping that they can find a rider on a 5 average that will score 6/7 upwards..

[Grachan]

14 minutes ago, greyhoundp said:

I continue to be amazed how visas are issued when british riders are without Teams, I have personal experience of how difficult it is to obtain a normal visa, so why Speedway riders/sportsmen have a different easier criteria is beyond me. In my opinion the first question any Team needs to be asked when sponsoring a foreign rider is; Is there a British rider available for this team place ?.

I believe foreign riders need to have finished in the Top 4 of State Championships, or American finals, so will it mean that only the top four from the Danish, Swedish, Polish championships can ride in the UK?, if so that should mean there are plenty of places for British riders , however im sure the BSPA will find a way around it so that they can continue to use none British nationals in there teams, hoping that they can find a rider on a 5 average that will score 6/7 upwards..

What's crazy about that rule, of course, is that you can have fifth place in the Polish final being ineligible while fourth place in, for example, the Croatian Championship, would qualify.

[arnieg]

I think that following today's announcement we can expect some revisions, at some point, to the criteria for speedway riders. But I would think it will be a long way down the to do list so I suspect there will still be considerable uncertainty next winter.

[Jonny the spud]

And problems for British riders in Europe if the EU decide to implement the same rules. 

[HenryW]

8 hours ago, Grachan said:

What's crazy about that rule, of course, is that you can have fifth place in the Polish final being ineligible while fourth place in, for example, the Croatian Championship, would qualify.

For non EU Nations there are currently different requirements for different Nations, and you would have to assume it will be the same for EU Nations when things have to be reworked.

For example, the top 4 in the Russian National Championship are eligible but only the winner of the Ukrainian National Championship is.