The Rishi Sunak-led government has put forward a new law in parliament aiming to tighten rules on immigration, especially concerning working visas, before the upcoming general elections next year.
This bill, presented on Monday (Dec 4), raises the bar for foreign workers by increasing the salary threshold and making it harder for family members to be included as dependents.
For instance, the earnings requirement for a work visa has gone up to £38,700 ($48,900) from the previous £26,000.
Home Secretary James Cleverly, speaking in the House of Commons on Tuesday, highlighted the goal of reducing annual net immigration by 300,000 in the future, without specifying a timeline.
The changes are estimated to affect around 300,000 individuals who won’t qualify for the UK’s Skilled Worker Visa under these new regulations, according to the UK home office.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended these steps as “radical measures” to lower migration and ensure it benefits the United Kingdom.
In his remarks, Sunak emphasized, “Immigration is excessively high. Today, we are taking decisive action to reduce it. These measures will guarantee that immigration always serves the best interests of the UK.”
The government’s strategy to address immigration concerns includes several key measures:
- Dependent Restrictions: The government aims to reduce migration by limiting the entry of dependents into the UK.
- Salary Threshold Increases: Minimum salaries for overseas workers and for British or settled individuals sponsoring family members will see significant hikes.
- Health and Care Visa Tightening: Restrictions will be imposed on the Health and Care visa, affecting care workers and their dependents, preventing overseas care workers from bringing dependents to the UK.
- Crackdown on Cut-Price Labour: The plan involves eliminating the 20% salary discount for certain occupations and introducing an Immigration Salary List to align with increased thresholds.
- Student Dependent Restrictions: Measures have been introduced to curb the number of students bringing dependents to the UK.
These changes respond to high immigration figures reported by the Office for National Statistics, with India being a significant source in several visa categories.
It’s important to note that these changes aim to reshape immigration policies, particularly concerning work visas and dependent entry, to manage immigration levels in the UK.
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