The latest visa regulations in the UK
The UK government has introduced an extensive five-point strategy to address immigration concerns.
The plan met with diverse responses, includes measures like restricting care workers from moving with their families and raising the minimum salary criteria for skilled worker visas.
James Cleverly, who recently took on the role of Home Secretary, is facing increasing pressure to assert a robust position on immigration.
Cleverly emphasized, "Enough is enough. Immigration policy must be fair, legal, and sustainable."
Sky News reports a surge in discontent among Conservatives following the recent Supreme Court setback on the Rwanda deportation plan.
The Court ruled the British government's intention to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as illegal. If sanctioned, the UK could have deported anyone entering the country illegally to Rwanda.
Furthermore, recent data discloses that net migration hit 745,000 last year.
In the year ending June 2023, a total of 1,180,000 individuals arrived in the UK with plans to stay for at least a year.
According to the most recent data from the UK Office for National Statistics, the majority of arrivals, approximately 968,000, hail from non-EU countries.
The top five non-EU nationalities were:
Indian (253,000)
Nigerian (141,000)
Chinese (89,000)
Pakistani (55,000)
Ukrainian (35,000)
The home secretary characterized the new policy as a "more stringent" approach than any previous government's position on migration.
Visas for Health and Care
A proposal has been made to curb the "misuse of the health and care visa," aiming to disallow foreign care workers from bringing their dependents. The government classifies dependents as spouses, civil partners, or unmarried partners, along with children under the age of eighteen.
Alteration to the Minimum Salary for Skilled Worker Visas
The minimum salary threshold for acquiring a skilled worker visa, presently established at £26,000, has been raised to £38,700, marking a 50% increase.
Occupations in Short Supply
The Shortage Occupation list comprises roles deemed challenging to fill in the UK labor market for residents. These positions typically have more lenient criteria for qualifying for sponsored work visas. However, a shift is imminent due to the new policy, which removes the 20% minimum wage reduction previously available to applicants in Shortage Occupations.
Furthermore, Cleverly mentioned that the list would undergo trimming and evaluation. The existing list encompasses roles such as graphics designers, construction workers, vets, programmers, laboratory technicians, among others.
Family Visas
In a bid to "ensure that individuals can financially support only the dependents they bring," the minimum requirement for a family visa will see an increase to £38,700, up from the 2012 rate of £18,600.
Student Visas
"In total, with the reduction in student dependants and this comprehensive package, approximately 300,000 fewer individuals are anticipated to come to the UK in the upcoming years compared to the previous year," Mr. Cleverly.
The government has called for a review of the graduate route by the Migration Advisory Committee. Consequently, adjustments to the Student Visa are expected to be announced soon.
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