UK Introduces Innovative Strategy to Reduce Migration: New Plan Targets Overseas Students and Skilled Workers

UK Government Takes “Radical Action” to Reduce Immigration

In a significant move, the UK government has announced measures to bring down immigration, including raising the minimum salary requirement for skilled foreign workers seeking visas to work in the country. This decision comes after official data revealed that net migration to the UK reached a record high of 745,000 in 2022, putting pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has pledged to decrease new arrivals.

“Immigration is too high. Today we’re taking radical action to bring it down. These steps will ensure that immigration always benefits the UK,” stated Rishi Sunak on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The new measures include prohibiting overseas students from bringing their family members to the UK, except for those pursuing postgraduate research degrees. Additionally, the salary threshold for foreign workers will be raised to £38,000 (approximately Rs 40,01,932).

Interior Minister James Cleverly announced that starting early next year, skilled foreign workers will need to earn £38,700, up from the current level of £26,200 (approximately Rs 27,58,718.52).

“Our new immigration plan will lead to a significant reduction in net migration and establish a system that works for the British people,” stated the Home Office in a released statement.

The UK Immigration Plan includes:

1. It is estimated that this change will result in a reduction of arrivals through this route by over 20% by 2024-25.

2. Increasing the earnings threshold by a third to £38,700 from next spring for skilled workers, aligning it with the median full-time wage for such occupations.

3. Eliminating discounts on salaries for shortage occupations and reforming the Shortage Occupation List to discourage the hiring of cheap labor from overseas.

4. More than doubling the minimum income requirement for family visas to £38,700, matching the threshold for skilled workers.

5. Tightening regulations regarding students bringing family members to the UK, with the Migration Advisory Committee reviewing the graduate route.

Rishi Sunak has consistently expressed concerns about high levels of immigration. Immigration has long been a contentious political issue in the UK and is expected to be a key topic in the upcoming general election, which the main opposition Labour Party is currently favored to win.

Legal migration has surged since the UK officially exited the European Union in January 2020, with net migration reaching 488,000 in 2021. In addition to the record number of legal migrants, Sunak is also grappling with the challenge of reducing irregular arrivals crossing the English Channel from northern France on small boats. This year alone, over 28,000 individuals have made this perilous journey.

The government has deemed these crossings illegal, but its plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was recently overturned by the courts.