In a bid to fulfill the Conservative Party's commitment to reducing net migration, Rishi Sunak's government, led by Home Secretary James Cleverly, has announced a set of stringent measures, including an increase in the salary threshold for prospective migrants. The new requirement mandates that individuals applying for working visas must earn £38,700 ($48,900), a significant rise from the previous threshold of £26,000.
Cleverly outlined the government's aim to decrease net annual immigration by 300,000 in the future, without specifying a precise timeline. Among the additional measures are restrictions on overseas care workers bringing family dependents and the elimination of the 20% salary discount that firms can apply to workers on the shortage occupation list.
While emphasizing the government's commitment to aiding those in need, Cleverly asserted the public's right to reduce overall immigration, highlighting the importance of managing legal migration alongside addressing illegal routes and boat arrivals.
The move comes as Sunak faces mounting pressure from within the Tory party to address escalating immigration, exacerbated by recent statistics from the Office for National Statistics revealing a net influx of 672,000 people to the UK in the year ending June. Immigration has become a central electoral issue, with party strategists viewing it as pivotal to the government's success in the upcoming general election.
The post-Brexit landscape has seen a shift in migration dynamics, with non-EU nationals driving the increase in net migration, contrasting with a net emigration of EU nationals
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