UK Announces Limits On Regular Migration As It Tries To Turn Polls Around
Faizan Hashmi Published December 05, 2023 | 01:10 AM
London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Dec, 2023) Britain's embattled Conservative government unveiled a raft of measures Monday aimed at cracking down on record levels of migration -- a key battleground in a general election expected next year.
The UK announced it would raise the minimum salary threshold for a skilled worker visa and prevent overseas health and social care staff from bringing family dependents to Britain.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's office trumpeted the proposals as "the biggest clampdown on legal migration ever".
But critics said it would damage the state-run National Health Service (NHS), which faces staff shortages.
Immigration is set to be a key issue in nationwide elections that must be held by January 2025 at the latest, and which the main opposition Labour party is currently favoured to win.
Sunak has pledged to reduce new arrivals and has been under pressure ever since statistics released last month showed that net migration to Britain hit a high in 2022.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the number of people who arrived in Britain last year was 745,000 more than the number who left.
Interior minister James Cleverly said his plan would result in 300,000 fewer people coming to the UK in the coming years.
"Enough is enough," the home secretary told parliament as he laid out his proposals, which will take effect early next year.
Cleverly said skilled foreign workers wanting a UK visa would have to earn £38,700 ($48,860), up from £26,200 and in line with the median full-time wage.
He exempted health and social care workers, but said they would be prevented from bringing family dependents.
NHS Providers, which represents hospital groups in England, said changes that might deter care workers from coming to the UK were "deeply concerning".
Care England, a charity representing independent adult social care providers, said immigration had been "saving the social care sector". Staff shortages have been exacerbated by Brexit.
Cleverly also raised the minimum income for family visas to £38,700 and confirmed restrictions on international students bringing dependents.
He reaffirmed that Britain would increase the surcharge that migrants pay to access the NHS by 66 percent, to £1,035.
Critics have said this effectively imposes a double charge on migrant workers, as employees also pay National Insurance charges, which go towards covering healthcare.
- 'Do or die' -
Cleverly added that the government would reform the "shortage occupation list", which details jobs for which employers are not able to find enough British workers.
The Conservatives won a landslide under the leadership of Boris Johnson at the last election in 2019, largely on a promise to bring net migration numbers down.
The party has repeatedly promised that leaving the European Union, which ended the free movement of people from member states, would allow the UK to "take back control" of its borders.
But regular migration has soared since Britain formally left the EU in January 2020. In 2021, net migration was 488,000.
The ONS data piled pressure on Sunak from his own MPs to take action, with some right-wingers arguing that the issue was "do or die" for the party.
In opinion polls, the Tories, in power since 2010, lag well behind centre-left Labour, which also claims regular migration is too high.
Labour's home affairs spokesperson Yvette Cooper accused the Conservatives of being in a "chaotic panic" over immigration.
"Today's statement is an admission of years of total failure by this Conservative government," she told parliament.
Sunak is also struggling to cut the number of irregular arrivals crossing the Channel from northern France on small boats.
About 30,000 have undertaken the dangerous crossing this year.
The government has deemed such crossings illegal but its much-trumpeted plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was struck down by the courts last month.
Cleverly is due to visit Kigali soon, possibly this week, to finalise a new treaty. The government has also said it is working on "emergency legislation" to get deportation flights going by spring.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
OIC Contact Group on Jammu & Kashmir calls for early resolution of J&K dispute
Yango joins hands with Discover Pakistan to present and preserve the country’s ..
Saudi govt, companies consider Pakistan high priority economic opportunity: Ibra ..
Saudi Crown Prince expected to visit Pakistan this month
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 6 May 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 06 May 2024
Dubai Mum Becomes the First Ever Pakistani Woman to Climb 11 of the 14 Highest M ..
Over 37% Tobacco tax increase suggested to save lives, boost revenue
Mohsin Naqvi has offered a substantial incentive, pledging $100,000 to every pla ..
Citizens join Al Barsha Police in “An Hour for Dubai” Initiative
Art can be a powerful tool to relieve stress, Experts say at Sharjah Children’ ..
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 5 May 2024
More Stories From World
-
Mbappe and PSG aim to seize moment in Champions League semi-final
4 minutes ago -
Israel army says about 100,000 people being evacuated from east Rafah
14 minutes ago -
Putin orders nuclear drills with troops near Ukraine
44 minutes ago -
China's Shenzhen home to more superchargers than petrol stations
54 minutes ago -
Ode to joy: How Austria shaped Beethoven's Ninth
54 minutes ago -
Lebanon's Hezbollah says fired dozens of rockets at Israeli base
54 minutes ago
-
China to expedite building modern eco-environment monitoring system
1 hour ago -
Putin orders nuclear drills with troops near Ukraine
1 hour ago -
'Sound of silence' for troubled Milan as Juve inch towards Champions League
1 hour ago -
Wildfires increase in Mongolia
1 hour ago -
McLaren's Norris wins Miami Grand Prix
1 hour ago -
EU's soaring far-right parties set to stay
1 hour ago