The UK Home Secretary, Mr James Cleverly has announced his plan to slash UK migration levels and curb abuse of the immigration system, he wants to deliver the biggest ever reduction in net migration. He believes that his new package will mean about 300,000 will not be able to came to the UK compared to last year.
Avoid getting your family stuck abroad, forced to pay fees that you could have avoided by acting sooner, contact us now for support. saleh@wafi.co.uk or call 02071935178. We offer FREE initial telephone case assessment and guidance and can save you up to £1,233 in UK government fees.
The Home Office hopes that the package of measures will end the high numbers of dependants coming to the UK, increase the minimum salaries that British or settled people sponsoring family members must earn, and deal with perceived exploitation across the immigration system.
Mr Cleverly said that the government will also tighten the Health and Care Worker visas, which has seen a significant number of visas granted to care workers and their dependants, this will be done by preventing overseas care workers from bringing their family and dependants to the UK. In addition, care providers in England will now only be able to sponsor migrant workers if they are undertaking activities regulated by the Care Quality Commission. This will further reduce the number of care providers who are able to hire foreign workers.
According to Home Office figures, in the year ending September 2023, 101,000 Health and Care Worker visas were issued to care workers and senior care workers, with an estimated 120,000 visas granted to associated dependants, the majority of whom do not work, but still make use of public services. This is of course likely as children do not work and also parent who care for them are unlikely to work too.
From next spring, the government will increase the earning threshold for overseas workers by nearly 50% from the current minimum salary requirement, so £26,200 increased to £38,700, encouraging businesses to look to British talent first and invest in their workforce, thus deter UK employers from over-relying on migration, while bringing salaries in line with the average full-time salary for these types of jobs. The government will also increase the minimum income required for British citizens and those settled in the UK who want their family members to join them. It is believed around 50% of spouse visa applicants will be unable to meet the new salary requirements.
To reduce numbers further, the government will end the 20% going-rate salary discount for shortage occupations and replace the Shortage Occupation List with a new Immigration Salary List, which will retain a general threshold discount. The Migration Advisory Committee will now review the new list against the increased salary thresholds in order to reduce the number of occupations on the list.
The Migration Advisory Committee will also be asked to review the Graduate visa route to ensure it works in the best interests of the UK and to ensure steps are being taken to prevent abuse.
This new package of measures builds on the tough action already taken where foreign students were due to be stopped from brining dependants to the UK, which will come into force in 2024. This, along with the changes announced as regards increased salary requirements, will make migration to the UK more difficult.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said:
It is clear that net migration remains far too high. By leaving the European Union we gained control over who can come to the UK, but far more must be done to bring those numbers down so British workers are not undercut and our public services put under less strain.
My plan will deliver the biggest ever reduction in net migration and will mean around 300,000 people who came to the UK last year would not have been able to do so. I am taking decisive action to halt the drastic rise in our work visa routes and crack down on those who seek to take advantage of our hospitality.
In addition to measures to reduce migration, the government is increasing the annual Immigration Health Surcharge from £624 to £1,035 this of course will make it more costly (£3,105 for initial spouse visa) and difficult for UK settled partner to bring his foreign partner and non-British children to the UK.
Please contact us to discuss your case and how you could benefit from our support which includes guidance, documents support and how best to proceed so that your partner and loved one does not get blocked from the UK due to this hostile new immigration package deliberately designed to keep workers and partners out for good.
Avoid getting your family stuck abroad, Avoid paying £££’s in fees that you could have avoided by acting sooner, contact us now email saleh@wafi.co.uk or call 02071935178. We offer FREE initial telephone / email case assessment and guidance and can save you up to £1,233 in UK government fees alone.
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