Labour Announces New Immigration Strategy for the UK | UK Immigration

With the announcement of Labor’s new approach, the immigration environment in the UK is expected to undergo considerable changes. Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, unveiled ideas that seek to maintain many of the stringent immigration laws put in place by the previous administration while also tying skills to sponsorship. The main changes and their possible effects are highlighted in this blog post.

Retention of Strict Immigration Rules

Labor intends to stick to the majority of the Conservatives’ five-point net migration reduction strategy. This includes removing the 20% going rate reduction for shortage occupations, raising the wage barrier for skilled worker visas by 48% (from £26,200 to £38,700), and limiting the ability of the majority of international students to bring family members.

By enforcing equitable treatment of UK workers and putting a stop to immigration abuses, these measures seek to reinforce the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). By merging Home Office officials to work more strategically in predicting future trends, Labor hopes to strengthen the role of the MAC. The purpose of this action is to better connect labor market policies with immigration skills.

Additionally, the MAC will examine the reliance on foreign hiring in important industries including IT and Engineering

Review of Key Sectors

• Dependency on foreign hiring: the MAC has been tasked with examining how much major industries rely on foreign hiring, beginning with the IT and engineering sectors. The purpose of this evaluation is to offer unbiased, fact-based suggestions that will guide future immigration laws.
• Labor will put a stop to the proposed hike in the minimum income criteria for five-year spouse visas, which was set to go up to £29,000, while the MAC reviews the situation. This is a positive move that strikes a balance between the UK’s economic prosperity and respect for family life. Stakeholder participation will be part of the study, which is anticipated to begin in the coming months.
• Crackdown on Abuse in Student and Graduate Routes: Labor will carry out the regulations put in place by the previous administration to control the admission of foreign students and to scrutinize their financial needs and English language proficiency. By doing this, you can safeguard the Graduate Route’s integrity and prevent exploitation of the system.

Labor’s new immigration policy is centered on upholding stringent regulations and carefully tying sponsorship to skill sets. By strengthening the MAC’s function and examining important industries by utilizing international hiring, the approach seeks to strike a compromise between immigration laws and economic needs.

New UK Immigration Rules 2024: Impact of Rules on Visa Applications

The government’s stricter immigration rules have resulted in a considerable decline in the number of visa applications to the UK. This has had a significant effect on industries that depend on foreign labor and students, such as healthcare and education.

There has been a notable decline of about one-third in the number of applications for UK visas from foreign workers, students, and their families in the last 12 months. The Conservative government’s latest rule revisions, which tighten immigration regulations, also coincide with this fall.

The majority of overseas students as well as health and social care professionals are no longer able to bring their families to the UK due to these new laws, which went into effect in the middle of 2023.

Data from Home Offices Shows the Impact

According to Home Office preliminary data, the number of visa applications from immigrants and their families fell from over 141,000 in July 2023 to just 91,000 in July 2024. An 80% decline in care worker visa applications, to barely 2,900, was a major blow to the health and social care sector.

Position of the Government on Immigration

A spokesman for the Home Office said that while immigration benefits the UK greatly, it must be managed by the government through a controlled and equitable system. To alleviate skill shortages and lessen the nation’s dependency on foreign labor, the government reaffirmed its commitment to building up its domestic workforce.

Sector Worries About Shortages in the Workforce

In the UK’s care industry, the new immigration regulations’ effects have sparked worries. There are reports that a large number of workers are moving to areas with more welcoming immigration policies or going back to their native countries.

Experts caution that it will take years to develop a domestic workforce to close these gaps, which could result in unsustainable levels of job vacancies in the industry.

Academic Institutions and the Reduction in Student Visas

The decline in applications for overseas student visas may have dire repercussions for UK universities, which are already under financial strain. According to the Migration Observatory, the fall in student applications may also be caused by national concerns, such as the currency crisis in Nigeria.

Stricter Immigration Laws and Their Repercussions

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak imposed immigration limits in 2022 to reduce the country’s historically high immigration rates. Despite reaching 764,000 in 2022, legal net migration decreased by 10% in 2023. The Office for National Statistics issued a warning, saying that it is too soon to say whether or not this is the start of a long-term declining trend.

Increasing the Bar for Professionals

The minimum pay criterion for qualified foreign workers has been increased by the UK government from £26,200 to £38,700. Under the points-based system implemented in 2020, candidates must now obtain 70 points to be considered skilled workers. Points are provided for several categories, including advanced degrees or job offers in occupations where there is a scarcity.

Although the goal of these adjustments is to decrease immigration, preliminary data indicates that the higher salary criterion has not yet had a major effect. It was also suggested that the salary barrier for inviting family members to the UK should be raised, but in the end, it was changed to £29,000, and the Labour administration in power now is keeping it there while it is reviewed.