Government Unveils Sweeping Changes to Immigration Policy

In a landmark announcement last week, Home Secretary James Cleverly revealed a comprehensive five-point plan aimed at drastically reducing net migration in the United Kingdom. The move comes in response to record-high estimates of net migration, reaching 745,000 in 2022, and follows Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's assertion that current immigration levels are unsustainable.

Cleverly outlined the key components of the plan, set to take effect in Spring 2024:

• Salary Requirements for Skilled Workers: The minimum salary for foreign skilled workers will surge from £26,200 to £38,700, with an exemption for the health and care sector.
• Spouse and Family Visa Income Threshold: The minimum income requirement for spouse or family visas will see a substantial increase, rising from £18,600 to £38,700.
• Restrictions on Care Workers: Care workers will no longer be permitted to bring dependents to the UK, and care firms must be registered with the Care Quality Commission to sponsor visas.
• Reform of Shortage Occupation List: The Shortage Occupation List will undergo reforms, and the 20% salary discount for shortage occupations will be eliminated.
• Tightened Student Visa Rules: Stricter rules will be imposed on students bringing family members to the UK, coupled with a comprehensive review of the graduate visa route by the Migration Advisory Committee.

The announcement generated immediate reactions on social media, with particular concern expressed over the substantial increase in the minimum income requirement for spouse and family visas. Critics argued that this move would prevent many British citizens from bringing their partners to the UK, and organisations such as Reunite Families UK expressed profound disappointment.

The government's objective is to achieve the largest reduction in net migration on record. Cleverly emphasised that the measures would render approximately 300,000 of the estimated 1.2 million people who migrated to the UK in 2022 ineligible to do so under the new regulations.

Opposition figures, including Labour's shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, criticised the government's handling of immigration policies. Cooper characterised the announcement as an acknowledgment of the Conservative government's failure in managing immigration and the economy. She pointed out that net migration had tripled under the government's own policies.

In his statement to the House of Commons, Cleverly justified the measures as necessary to bring down overall immigration numbers and ensure a fair, consistent, legal, and sustainable immigration policy. The Home Secretary also addressed the fight against illegal migration, asserting that the plan to curb boat arrivals was proving effective, with a one-third reduction in small boat arrivals.

The government's sweeping changes are set to significantly reshape the landscape of legal immigration in the UK, eliciting mixed reactions from various quarters.

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