After a record inflow, the UK will tighten immigration laws.
This surge has intensified pressure on the Labour government to implement measures to limit the influx of migrants. Net migration is defined as the difference between the number of individuals arriving in the United Kingdom for long-term residence and those departing.
The ONS has projected a decline in net migration to approximately 728,000 for the year ending June 2024, a reduction of one-fifth, primarily attributed to new restrictions on foreign students and health and care workers enacted by the Conservative government this year, as stated in a release dated November 28.
The Prime Minister expressed that the figures “should shock all of us” during a press conference convened to address the report, where he committed to introducing new strategies aimed at significantly reducing immigration, as reported by The Times. Starmer has advocated for a substantial decrease in immigration levels over the coming years but has dismissed the Conservative Party’s calls for a cap, arguing that it would not yield any meaningful impact.
Effective from March 11, 2024, foreign care workers were prohibited from bringing dependants on their visas, and students were barred from bringing dependants into the country starting January 1 of this year, with exceptions only for those enrolled in postgraduate research programs or courses supported by government scholarships.
The ONS attributed the revision of last year’s figures to a more precise methodology for counting migrants and evolving trends indicating that international students are remaining in the U.K. for longer durations.
Starmer remarked that the British economy had become “hopelessly reliant” on immigration, while 2.8 million individuals were unemployed due to long-term illness, and one in eight young people were neither engaged in employment, education, nor training.
The government is set to release a white paper at the beginning of next year, outlining reforms to the points-based immigration system. These reforms will stipulate that employers may only hire foreign workers if they are concurrently training domestic employees.
Following its victory in the general elections on July 4, the Labour government has tasked the Migration Advisory Committee with assessing the ongoing dependence of critical sectors, especially information technology and engineering, on international recruitment. This review is part of the Labour government’s new approach, which aims to ensure that immigration is not viewed as a substitute for training or addressing workforce challenges in the U.K.
For those contemplating an application for a Skilled Worker visa for the U.K., it may be prudent to act promptly. The potential changes could have unforeseen effects on your situation. It is increasingly likely that entering the U.K. and obtaining permanent residency will become more challenging.