UK set to discourage legal migration with salary reforms: These are the changes
LONDON – The UK government is set to increase the minimum salary for foreign workers, in a move aimed at discouraging legal migration.
The anticipated revision will likely see a rise in the minimum salary threshold for skilled worker visas, which currently stands at £26,200. Home Secretary James Cleverly is expected to announce these measures in the House of Commons in the near future.
As part of these reforms, it is also expected that there will be limits on healthcare worker visas and constraints on the number of dependents migrants can bring to the UK. Additionally, specific student visa conditions are likely to be modified.
These steps, which are being seen as anti-migration, come in response to mounting pressure on ministers to address the surge in legal migration. Recent statistics reveal a record of 745,000 net migrations in the previous year.
While the exact minimum salary remains unconfirmed, reports suggest it could climb to over £35,000 or even £38,000. There are also rumors that the government may overhaul the list of occupations where foreign workers can be hired below standard salary thresholds.
Currently, certain roles on the shortage occupation list allow foreign workers to be hired at salaries 20% below the official rate or a reduced salary cap of £20,960.
The government’s migration advisers have recommended scrapping the 20% rule, with the Labour party also calling for its elimination, stating that it has a negative impact on fair pay and the training of UK workers.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to reduce migration levels, acknowledging on Monday that migration is currently too high. This implies that the government has plans regarding this issue.
Furthermore, the UK government is under pressure to accommodate migrants from various countries, including Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Rwanda. Home Secretary James Cleverly is due to visit Rwanda soon to sign a new treaty on deporting Channel boat arrivals.
In conclusion, the UK government is taking steps to discourage legal migration by increasing the minimum salary for foreign workers. These reforms include raising the minimum salary threshold for skilled worker visas, implementing limits on healthcare worker visas and dependent numbers, and modifying student visa conditions. The exact minimum salary is yet to be confirmed, but it is speculated to be over £35,000 or even £38,000. Additionally, there may be changes to the list of occupations where foreign workers can be hired below standard salary thresholds. These measures come in response to the increasing pressure to address the surge in legal migration, which saw 745,000 net migrations in the previous year. While critics argue that these reforms could negatively impact fair pay and training for UK workers, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has emphasized the need to reduce migration levels.
