UK Tightens Immigration Policy
The British government announced this week that it will tighten its immigration policy and plan to reduce the annual net migration to the UK to 300,000, mainly targeting student and healthcare visas. James Cleverly, the UK Home Secretary, said that the authorities will raise the income threshold and reduce the number of job vacancies, and that the immigration policy must be fair and sustainable.
According to media reports, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pointed out that the system is being abused, and that many immigrants are not fleeing persecution or war, nor are they doing the jobs that Britain really needs them to do. Increasing numbers of overseas students and caregivers are bringing their families to the UK, adding to the pressure on local housing and healthcare. It also allows companies to hire foreign workers at low cost, affecting the rights of those who would otherwise be working in Britain.
The report also pointed out that James Cleverly said that the government will limit the eligibility of dependent relatives, significantly raise the income threshold, including the minimum wage requirement for skilled applicants for work visas, from 26,200 pounds per year to 38,700 pounds. Healthcare workers will not be allowed to bring their families with them. Britain's net migration reached 740,000 last year and is expected to decrease to 300,000 in the future.
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