A raft of strict restrictions aimed at reducing the number of people legally arriving in Britain will come into force within weeks. The Home Office said that the changes to immigration rules will be gradually introduced starting from March. The Prime minister Rishi Sunak had previously pledged to “do what is necessary” to reduce net migration, as he sought to attribute the “very large numbers” to his predecessors.
The Prime Minister has faced pressure from Tory MPs to take action since revised official estimates published in November showed that the net migration figure—the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving the country—reached a record 745,000 in 2022, which was higher than previously thought.
Home Secretary James Cleverly revealed that prohibiting overseas care workers from bringing their family dependents and raising the salary threshold for skilled workers to £38,700 will result in the most substantial decrease yet. Additionally, there will be amendments making it harder for British citizens earning below the national average to sponsor foreign spouses.
He stated that the policies would reduce the influx of individuals arriving in the UK by 300,000 annually. The government revealed the implementation date for these modifications on Tuesday. This announcement coincided with new data from the Office for National Statistics, which indicated that the population of the UK could potentially increase to nearly 74 million by 2036, rising from its current estimate of 67 million, due to a net migration contributing around six million people.
The initial adjustments will take effect on March 11, limiting the entry of foreign caregivers along with their family members to the UK and mandating that care providers sponsoring migrants must register with the Care Quality Commission.
The minimum salary requirement for individuals applying for skilled worker visas in the UK will increase starting from April 4th.
This will be accompanied by a gradual increment in the minimum income criteria for family visas. The initial raise to £29,000 will be implemented starting from April 11, with plans for it to escalate to £38,700 by early 2025 as stated by the Home Office.
Right-wing Tory MPs have faced criticism for the delay in implementing the full extent of the increase, as they advocate for stricter migration controls. Mr. Cleverly remarked that current migration levels are “excessively high” and emphasized the importance of returning to sustainable levels. He also highlighted the implementation of “strong measures” as part of a balanced approach, providing adequate time for preparation while effectively reducing migration.
The adjustment will also result in revisions to the Shortage Occupation List, which is utilized to designate positions requiring migrant workers to address staffing shortages. The list will now have a reduced salary threshold, usually around 20% lower than the prevailing wage for the specific job.
However, starting from March 14th, the discount will be eliminated. In early April, the SOL will no longer exist and will be replaced by the new Immigration Salary List based on recommendations put forth by the Migration Advisory Committee.
The body will first advise the Government on which occupations should be temporarily added to the ISL.
Meanwhile, the Immigration Health Surcharge, which some foreign nationals in the UK on certain temporary immigration visas are required to pay to access healthcare through the NHS, will rise by 66% to a total of £1,035 starting from February 6th.
