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According to the Home Office, the revision will encourage “businesses to look to British talent first and invest in their workforce.” This will help the UK deter employers from over-relying on migration while bringing salaries in line with the average full-time salary for these types of jobs.
Interior Secretary James Cleverly said his plan would result in 300,000 fewer people coming to the UK in the coming years.
Under plans set out by Cleverly, workers would need to earn at least £38,700 to obtain a visa, up from £26,200, while care workers would be barred from bringing in dependants from next April.
As per the Home Office, the amendment aims to prompt “businesses to prioritize British talent and invest in their workforce.” This strategy will assist the UK in discouraging employers from overly relying on migration, while also aligning salaries with the average full-time wage for these job categories.
Interior Secretary James Cleverly stated that his proposal would lead to a decrease of 300,000 individuals arriving in the UK over the upcoming years.
Under Cleverly’s proposals, individuals would be required to earn a minimum of £38,700 to be eligible for a visa, an increase from £26,200. Additionally, starting from next April, care workers would be prohibited from bringing dependents into the country.
“We acknowledge the invaluable contributions of healthcare workers within our National Health Service (NHS) and the broader health sector. However, it is imperative that immigrants also make a substantial financial contribution. Hence, we will be raising the annual immigration healthcare charge by 66%, from £624 to £1035, generating an average of £1.3 billion annually for the country’s healthcare services.
“Furthermore, we are committed to preventing immigration from depressing the wages of British workers. To this end, we will raise the earnings threshold for skilled workers by a third to £38,000 starting from next spring, aligning it with the median full-time wage for such roles.
“Exceptions will be made for individuals arriving on social and health visas, ensuring that we continue to welcome healthcare workers into the country.
“The Home Office reiterated this announcement through its verified X handle (formerly Twitter), stating, ‘From today, care workers entering the UK on Health and Care Worker visas can no longer bring dependents. This is part of our plan to deliver the biggest ever cut in migration.'”
In January 2024, the UK announced the initiation of its policy banning Nigerian students and other international students from bringing dependents through the study visa route.
This development follows the warning from the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa, stating that the Federal Government has instructed health workers intending to seek opportunities abroad to resign from their positions before departing.
Alausa emphasized that the practice of health workers leaving for other countries after applying for a leave of absence is no longer acceptable.
The minister explained that the ban on leave of absence for health workers stems from an executive order issued by President Bola Tinubu, as part of efforts to address the challenge of brain drain, commonly referred to as the ‘Japa Syndrome’, affecting the nation’s health sector.