In a recent development reported, UK Home Secretary James Cleverly has revealed a new set of rules aimed at controlling migration, with a focus on adjustments to the skilled worker visa requirements.
One significant change involves an increase in the minimum salary requirement for obtaining a skilled worker visa. Currently standing at £26,000, the new threshold is set to rise substantially to £38,700. Cleverly addressed the parliament on Monday, suggesting that had these rules been in place in the previous year, they might have led to a potential annual decrease of 300,000 migrants.
According to the BBC, individuals applying for health and social care visas will be exempt from the heightened salary threshold. However, an impactful adjustment is the restriction on overseas care workers, who will no longer be permitted to bring dependents—meaning their partners and children—when moving to the UK.
The implication of this change is significant. For instance, if a UK citizen marries someone from outside the UK, their spouse will be ineligible to join them in the UK until the UK citizen earns a minimum annual salary of £38,700.
In 2022, the net migration in the UK, reflecting the difference between individuals immigrating to the country and those emigrating, reached a total of 745,000, as reported by the BBC. Cleverly emphasized the intention behind these new rules, 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."
These changes underscore a strategic move by the UK government to manage migration and align immigration policies with economic considerations and the country's needs. As these rules come into effect, they are expected to have a significant impact on the dynamics of migration and family reunification in the UK.
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