The United Kingdom (UK) has tightened immigration policies by introducing new rules.
UK Home Secretary James Cleverley has announced new plans to reduce immigration level by 300,000 in the upcoming year 2024.
Announcing the new immigration rules, Home Secretary Cleverley said, “In total, this package, plus our reduction in student dependents, will remain around 300,000 fewer people will come in future years than have come to the UK last year. From January 2024, the right for international students to bring dependents will be removed unless they are on postgraduate courses designated as research program.”
This new provision also bars international students from switching out of the student route into work routes before their studies have been completed. “These measures are possible because we are building up domestic workforce and supporting British workforce,” said Cleverley.
Care givers in the UK can now only sponsor foreign workers if they are unable to carry out essential activities within the Care Quality Commission Regulations, 2009.
In September 2023, the UK government had issued 101,000 health and care workers visas. Of them, 120,000 visas were issued for their dependents, alone. The British government estimates that most of them did not work.
The government is also going to increase the minimum wage to tighten immigration policies. With the upcoming spring season, the government will increase the income limit for foreign workers by 50 percent, i.e., from 26,200 pounds to 38,700 pounds. The government is going to do this with an intent of building up the British workforce. The government hopes that this will reduce employers' dependence on foreign workers.
Besides, it is said that the minimum income limit for Britons and others living in the UK will also be increased.
