The UK’s government has introduced measures intended to deliver the biggest migration cut ever.
Home Secretary James Cleverly announced a five-point plan to curb immigration, which he said was „far too high”, noting unprecedented levels.
The changes included hiking the minimum salary needed for skilled overseas workers from £26,200 to £38,700. The minimum income for family visas has also risen to £38,700.
That means that 300,000 people who were eligible to come to the UK last year would not be able to in future.
In a statement to MPs, the home secretary said migration to the UK „needs to come down” and there had been „abuse” of health and care visas for years.
„Enough is enough,” Cleverly said. „Immigration policy must be fair, legal, and sustainable”.
The migration plan comes after official figures last month showed net migration had soared to a record 745,000 in 2022, despite Brexit measures.
The sharp increase represents a huge political challenge Mr Sunak and the Conservatives, who have repeatedly promised to reduce net migration since winning power in 2010, and „take back control” of the UK’s borders since the Brexit vote.
Conservative MPs have since piled pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his government to bring down net migration, which is the difference between those entering and leaving the UK. David Cameron once pledged to bring net migration below 100,000 when he was prime minister.
On top of the new salary requirements, the government said it would:
- Ban health and care workers bringing family dependants to the UK
- End companies being able to pay workers 20% less than the going rate for jobs on a shortage occupation list
- Increase the annual charge foreign workers pay to use the NHS from £624 to £1,035
- Raise the minimum income for family visas to £38,700, from £18,600 from next spring
- Ask the government’s migration adviser to review the graduate visa route to „prevent abuse”
The home secretary told MPs the changes would take effect in the spring next year.
