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Political reporter Sam Francis reported that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled new immigration measures that aim to significantly reduce net migration over the next four years. The proposed plans include banning the recruitment of care workers from overseas, restricting access to skilled worker visas, and increasing costs to employers in an effort to curb near-record levels of immigration. While an exact target was not specified, the Home Office estimated that these policies could result in a decrease of 100,000 immigrants per year by 2029 based on the analysis of select core policies.
Previous attempts by successive governments to reduce net migration in the UK have been unsuccessful, with the number reaching a record high of 906,000 in June 2023. Sir Keir defended the proposed measures as a way to regain control of the immigration system, emphasizing the importance of a selective and fair process where the UK decides who enters the country. The government plans to tighten multiple aspects of the immigration system, including work, family, and study, to exert more control and enforce stricter regulations leading to a reduction in migration numbers.
As part of the new immigration plans, the government will eliminate a visa scheme introduced by Boris Johnson’s administration that allowed firms to hire health and social care workers from overseas. Instead, companies will be encouraged to hire British nationals or extend the visas of existing foreign workers in the country. Furthermore, the Immigration Skills Charge will increase by 32%, impacting both small and large firms that wish to sponsor foreign workers to come to the UK. Universities may also face higher charges, with a proposed tax on every international student enrolled in a UK university to fund skills training initiatives.
In addition, the qualification requirements for skilled worker visas will revert to higher standards, necessitating most new applicants to have a degree-level qualification rather than the equivalent of A-level. The government also aims to raise English language requirements for all work visas and double the period migrants must live in the UK before applying for settled status from five to ten years. Furthermore, there are plans to implement a fast-track system for high-skilled individuals and explore changes to how the right to family life is applied in immigration cases based on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
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