It will take some time for the world to adjust to the reality of a Donald Trump victory in the US presidential election. In the UK, the government is considering the geopolitical ramifications of Trump 2.0, where guardrails are lifted and the winner will largely be left to his radical agenda.

News of Trump’s victory sparked some political apprehension on this side of the Atlantic, but markets, on the other hand, showed positive signs, with the dollar rising against foreign currencies and gains on stock markets. It remains to be seen whether these positive results are a result of relief at the end of uncertainty surrounding the election or a sign of confidence in Trump’s economic manifesto.

Electing Trump a second time will have far-reaching effects on the UK, and not all of them will be good. However, one area where businesses could benefit is in international talent acquisition, where we can make some educated predictions about what will happen next.

First, it must be borne in mind that Trump will not enter the White House and take power until January 20 next year and therefore there will be no immediate policy change. Trump is also known for being a man who sometimes says one thing and does another, so some of the promises he made on the campaign trail may not come to fruition. But it’s safe to predict that his immigration agenda will focus on deep cuts and restrictions. He promised the mass expulsion of around 11 million illegal and undocumented workers and an end to illegal immigration.

He also advocates for reduced legal immigration and has proposed a merit-based visa system that gives preference to workers with the skills needed by U.S. businesses. He also promised stricter controls and enhanced vetting for certain immigrant groups.

Given the often crude and combative language used about immigrants on the campaign trail and the Republican commitment to creating “American jobs for American workers,” it is difficult to imagine that his legal immigration policies will be anything other than dissuasive. Indeed, his advisers may well use the UK’s relaxed post-Brexit immigration regime as a model for how not to do things in the US, given that our more liberal post-referendum regulations have contributed to a record number of foreign workers. If this happened in the United States, it would be a betrayal of one of the central promises of the Trump campaign.

This effectively means that migrants, whether qualified or not, will find the door to the United States closed, or increasingly difficult to pass through. A Trump-led administration will likely result in increased visa denials and fewer family-based immigration opportunities.

The advantage for UK employers is that the world’s most attractive country for international migrants, according to the Migration Policy Institute, will be largely out of reach. This will create a huge talent pool looking for other countries to move to. In the UK we are still experiencing a serious skills shortage in many sectors and, despite increased visa restrictions introduced earlier this year, UK visas will be seen as a much more feasible option for many, and the UK United will be seen as a more welcoming nation. unlike the United States under President Trump.

Indeed, articles appearing in the Indian press, for example, are already highlighting the difficulties that skilled workers will face in the years to come if they wish to settle in the United States. This is good news for UK employers, who will have a greater choice of educated and skilled talent, with the biggest player in the game.

The other possible benefit for British recruiters is less certain but could nevertheless prove significant. This is migration from the United States, both of undocumented workers who are deported or asked to leave the United States and of local workers.

In truth, many of the undocumented workers who face deportation will not meet the criteria for a UK skilled worker visa; most work in professions where the UK salary threshold will exclude them. For example, many work in unskilled roles in construction and agriculture or as cleaners and cleaners where the average salary is below the £38,700 threshold for a skilled worker visa. Some, however, will meet the criteria required by our points-based system and qualify for a skilled role, and these individuals will be looking for English-speaking countries to relocate to.

One other possible outcome could be a small but significant migration of native American workers, particularly young, college-educated and college-educated professional women who feel disenfranchised by the direction the United States is taking. The country is undoubtedly deeply divided along ideological lines, and while there is no evidence that this demographic is seeking to emigrate in significant numbers, in the hours following Trump’s victory, people flocked. took to social media to “joke” about moving to other countries and searches for “moving to Canada” increased.

In this regard, and given that younger, highly educated Americans are likely to feel particularly alienated by the election outcome, it will be interesting to see whether uptake of the High Potential Individual (HPI) visa increases. The visa route is only open to graduates from a Home Office list of top global universities, many of which are in the United States. Applicants do not need to be a U.S. citizen, only a graduate of one of the listed institutions. The HPI visa is an unsponsored work visa, meaning applicants do not need to be employed to apply and although it is temporary, once the applicant enters the UK with this visa, it is possible to later upgrade to another visa, such as a Skilled Worker Sponsorship visa, if eligible.

Whether or not the disaffection felt in the aftermath of the election will translate into real action remains to be seen, but it is certain that anyone from a marginalized demographic who was seriously considering emigrating before the election will have even more reason to leave. NOW. For this reason, smart recruiters looking to fill high-skilled positions overseas could do worse than looking to the United States for potential candidates and motivated, qualified workers.

Yash Dubal is a Director and Founder of AY & J Solicitors