London

The Rishi Sunak-led government has introduced a new law in the parliament that seeks to curb immigration by imposing stricter working visa rules, ahead of the general elections next year.

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The bill tabled on Monday (Dec 4) increases the salary threshold for foreign workers and tightens rules for the inclusion of family members as dependents.

For example, a person now has to earn £38,700 ($48,900) to qualify for a work visa, which was earlier £26,000.

Speaking at the House of Commons on Tuesday, Home Secretary James Cleverly said that the aim is to reduce annual net immigration by 300,000 “in future years,” without setting out a precise timetable.

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The move is estimated to impact around 300,000 individuals who would no longer be able to access the UK's Skilled Worker Visa based on the new measures, the UK home office said.

Defending the move, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak termed it “radical measures” to lower migration and ensured that it benefits the United Kingdom.

"Immigration is excessively high. Today, we are taking decisive action to reduce it. These measures will guarantee that immigration always serves the best interests of the UK," he said on X.

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In another online statement, Sunak said, “We've just announced the biggest ever cut in net migration. No Prime Minister has done this before in history.”

The key measures to address immigration concerns include

Dependent restrictions

The government aims to reduce migration by restricting the entry of dependents into the UK. This forms a crucial part of their strategy to manage and control immigration.

Salary threshold increases

Minimum salaries for overseas workers and British or settled individuals sponsoring family members will undergo a substantial increase. The earning threshold for overseas workers will experience a nearly 50% surge, rising from £26,200 to £38,700. A similar increase will apply to British citizens sponsoring family members.

Health and care visa tightening

The Health and Care visa, previously a significant avenue for care workers and their dependents, will face new restrictions. Overseas care workers will no longer be permitted to bring dependants to the UK. Additionally, care providers can only sponsor migrant workers involved in activities regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

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Crackdown on cut-price labour

The government plans to eliminate the 20 per cent salary discount for shortage occupations and introduce an Immigration Salary List. This list will be reviewed by the Migration Advisory Committee to align with the increased salary thresholds, addressing concerns related to cut-price labour.

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Student dependent restrictions

Measures have been implemented to address the increase in students bringing dependents to the UK. These changes are expected to have a significant impact on net migration, with approximately 153,000 visas granted to dependents of sponsored students in the year ending September 2023.

The visa crackdown responds to record-high immigration figures released by the Office for National Statistics, which reported a net migration of 672,000 to the UK. India dominates several visa categories, including skilled workers, medical professionals, and students.