The UK Home Secretary, James Cleverly, has announced a set of new rules designed to address and control migration.
One significant change is the increase in the minimum salary requirement for obtaining a skilled worker visa, with the current threshold of £26,000 being raised to £38,700.
Speaking before parliament on Monday, Cleverly outlined that the implementation of these new rules could potentially lead to a decrease of 300,000 migrants annually.
The move is part of the UK government’s efforts to manage and regulate immigration.
BBC reports that individuals coming to the UK on health and social care visas will be exempt from the higher salary threshold.
However, a notable change is that overseas care workers will no longer be allowed to bring dependents, including their partners and children.
This means that if a UK citizen marries a non-UK citizen, their new spouse will be unable to join them in the UK until they meet the increased minimum income requirement of £38,700.
The decision to raise the minimum salary requirement for skilled worker visas is expected to impact immigration patterns.
According to BBC, in 2022, the net migration in the UK, representing the difference between individuals immigrating to the country and those emigrating, reached a total of 745,000.
Cleverly emphasized the government’s focus on ensuring that individuals can financially support their dependents, stating, “We will ensure people only bring dependents whom they can support financially, by raising the minimum income for family visas to the same threshold as the minimum salary threshold for Skilled Workers, £38,700.”
