The decision was made in response to official data indicating that net migration to the UK reached a record high of 7,45,000 in 2022, placing more pressure on British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has pledged to cut back on immigration.
Today, the UK government raised the minimum salary that eligible foreign workers must earn to receive a visa to work in the UK, pledging to take “radical action” to limit immigration. In the correct direction, this is a big step. Official figures showing that net migration to the UK hit a record high of 7,45,000 in 2022 prompted the decision and increased pressure on British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has promised to reduce immigration.
“Too many people immigrate. Today, we’re going to do something radical to take it down. “These steps will ensure that immigration to the UK consistently benefits the nation,” Rishi Sunak stated on Twitter’s former platform, X. Raising the salary barrier to 38,000 pounds (Rs 40,01,932) for foreign workers is one of the measures. Another is preventing international students from bringing their family members to the UK unless they are pursuing postgraduate research degrees.
Interior Minister James Cleverly has stated that starting early in the new year, qualified foreign workers would need to earn 38,700 pounds (Rs 27,58,718.52) instead of the current minimum of 26,200 pounds. The home secretary stated to parliament, “Enough is enough,” as he announced his ideas, which will go into place at the beginning of next year. “Our new immigration plan will mean we decisively cut net migration and create a system that works for the British people,” the Home Office said in a statement.
The UK Immigration Plan stipulates that to sponsor visas, English care firms must be registered with the Care Quality Commission and prohibit foreign caregivers from bringing their dependents with them. It is estimated that this change would cause arrivals on this route to drop by more than 20% by 2024–2025. Increasing the minimum wage requirements for those who choose the skilled worker path by a third to 38,700 pounds beginning in the spring of the following year, in line with the average full-time compensation for these kinds of jobs.
Cheap labor from abroad will be eliminated by revising the Shortage Occupation List and removing the 20 percent going rate wage decrease for shortage jobs.
For family visas, the required minimum income will more than quadruple to 38,700 pounds, which is the same as the minimum wage requirement for qualified workers. tougher rules for students who want to visit the UK with relatives. The Migration Advisory Committee will also assess the graduate path.
For a long time, Mr. Sunak has called the levels of normal immigration “too high.” In the general election that is anticipated to take place next year, in which the main opposition Labour Party is now favored to win, immigration—long a contentious political subject in Britain—is expected to be a major topic.
Since Britain formally exited the European Union in January 2020, legal migration has increased dramatically. Net migration was 488,000 in 2021.
In addition to the record number of legal migrants, Mr. Sunak is having difficulty reducing the number of unauthorized immigrants using tiny boats to cross the Channel from northern France. This year, almost 28,000 individuals have made the perilous journey. Although the government considers these crossings to be unlawful, the much-trumped-upon intention to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was overturned by the courts last week.