The Home Office has introduced a concession to the immigration rules to allow the employment of non-European Economic Area nationals who are joining vessels engaged in the construction and maintenance of offshore wind projects in UK territorial waters. This concession will be time limited and leave to enter under the terms of the concession will not be granted after 21 October 2018.

The terms of the concession are as below:

· The Home Office has agreed to grant a concession, outside of the Immigration Rules, to workers essential to the construction and maintenance of wind farms that are within UK territorial waters.

· The concession will allow workers leave to enter the UK until 21 October 2018 for the purpose of joining a vessel engaged in the construction and maintenance of a wind farm that is within UK territorial waters.

· Leave to enter under the terms of the concession will not be granted after 21 October 2018. During this period, firms involved in the construction or maintenance of wind farms within territorial waters should look to regularise the position of workers. Those who require leave to enter the UK should already have the appropriate permission to do so under the Immigration Rules