Diaspora (Commonwealth Union) _ The UK government has introduced a set of stringent measures aimed at reducing immigration numbers, impacting foreign workers, including those from India. Home Secretary James Cleverly announced the crackdown, which includes a higher salary threshold for skilled visas and restrictions on bringing family members as dependents. Medics on Health and Care visas will no longer be able to bring any family members with them. For skilled worker visas, the salary threshold will increase from GBP 26,200 to GBP 38,700. Cleverly emphasized the need for immigration policy to be fair, consistent, legal, and sustainable.
The new measures, outlined in a five-point plan, are expected to result in approximately 300,000 fewer people coming to the UK in the coming years. These changes are set to take effect in the first half of 2024. The plan also includes a review of the Graduate Route visa to prevent abuse and protect the integrity of UK higher education. The government aims to reform the system for people working in short-staffed sectors by eliminating the 20% discount applied to the minimum salary for shortage occupations on the Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) Shortage Occupation List.
This announcement follows earlier student visa crackdowns, including a ban on international students bringing dependent family members unless they are on specific postgraduate courses. The government’s move to curtail immigration comes in response to record-high figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), indicating net migration to the UK at 672,000. India is a significant contributor to skilled workers, medical professionals, and students, with a 76% increase in Health and Care visa applicants and a 11% decline in skilled worker visas in the year ending September 2022. In the student visa category, Indian nationals dominate, representing 43% of students granted leave to remain on the Graduate visa route. The number of sponsored study visa grants to Indian nationals increased by 5% compared to the previous year. The crackdown also addresses dependent visas, where Indian nationals had the second-highest number of dependents, increasing from 2,127 to 43,445 in the year ending September 2023. The government’s measures aim to reshape immigration policies and address concerns related to the economy and the quality of education while reducing overall immigration numbers.
