The British Foreign Minister, James Cleverly, announced this Monday that the minimum wage required to grant a work visa to foreigners who want to go to the United Kingdom to starting next spring.
In an appearance before Parliament, the head of the Foreign Office today toughened the rules for those foreign workers who want to obtain a permit to work in this country, as part of the Executive's plans to cut the number of immigrants.
Among the measures detailed in the House of Commons (lower), Cleverly also said that foreign social and health workers, who will be exempt from that salary threshold as they are considered critical sectors, will no longer be able to bring dependent family members with them.
“We will stop immigration from undermining the wages of British workers. “We will increase the earnings threshold for skilled workers by a third to 38,700 pounds – from around 26,000 (30,340 euros) currently – from the spring in line with the average salary for the type of job,” the minister said.
Cleverly pointed out that “those who come on health or social work visa routes will be exempt in order to continue bringing in health workers on whom our health and social care system depends.”
Until now, the minimum salary required of a foreign worker to obtain a work visa in this country was around 26,000 pounds (30,341 euros).
The conservative politician maintained that the Government “recognizes” that foreign workers “do a great job in our NHS – the country's public health service – and in the social care sector” but considered that it is “important that migrants make a sufficient contribution to finances”.
Starting in January 2024, the right of international students to bring dependents will be withdrawn “unless they are in postgraduate courses designated as a research program,” explained Cleverly, who justified this measure on the grounds that this country wants ” always attract the best and brightest globally.
As part of the changes announced, these international students will no longer be able, as specified, “to move from the student route to the work routes before their studies have been completed”, changes that “will have a tangible impact” on migration.
According to the minister, his strategy will lead to “the largest reduction ever undertaken in net migration”, which in 2022 stood at around 745,000 people, well above the conservative government's objectives.
“In total, this package, in addition to the reduction in student dependents, will mean that about 300,000 fewer people will come in future years,” Cleverly noted.
Rishi Sunak's Government considers it a priority to reduce immigration to the United Kingdom, both legal and through irregular channels, such as through boats through the English Channel.