UK Plans Major Cut in Immigration, Raises Income Requirement for Work Visas

New measures, including a review of visa exemptions and tighter rules for dependents, spark concerns over potential staff shortages in key sectors.

UK Home Secretary James Cleverly announced plans to cut net migration by 300,000 people, raising the minimum income for work visa applicants to £38,700 ($48,800) a year, up from £26,200.
Visa exemptions for sectors with labour shortages will be reviewed, and rules for bringing in foreign spouses and dependents will be tightened.
Health and social care workers, major contributors to recent immigration, will not be able to bring dependents under the new rules, potentially impacting recruitment in these sectors.
The minimum income required to bring a foreign spouse into the country will rise from £18,600 to £38,700, making it harder for over half of Britons in full-time work to do so.
Businesses and sectors such as hospitality and universities have expressed concerns over the new measures, fearing they will exacerbate staff shortages and impact growth.