Before the summer recess of Parliament, the Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, published a Written Ministerial statement setting out the Government’s ambitions for the legal migration system, including new reforms which will link migration policy and visa controls and labour market policies. These consist of:
- The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), Skills England, the Industrial Strategy Council, and the Labour Market Advisory Board will work together to support a coherent approach to skills, migration and labour market policy, engaging and working closely with the Devolved Governments;
- The Government will commission the MAC to review the reliance on international recruitment in key sectors, commencing with IT and engineering; and
- The Government will provide additional resources to the MAC to enable it to work more strategically to forecast future trends.
The Statement also confirms that the Government will keep some changes made earlier this year by the previous administration, including:
- Restricting most overseas students from bringing family members to the UK;
- Restricting the ability of care workers and senior care workers to bring dependants with them; and requiring all care providers sponsoring migrants in England to register with the Care Quality Commission;
- Increasing the general salary threshold for those arriving on Skilled Worker visas by 48% from £26,200 to £38,700;
- Abolishing the 20% going rate discount so that employers can no longer pay migrants less than UK workers in shortage occupations; and
- Introducing measures announced on 23 May to reduce the potential for abuse on the student and graduate visa routes, working closely with the Department for Education to ensure the measures are effective.
Finally, the statement explains the need to balance respect for family life with the economic wellbeing of the UK. The Government will commission the MAC to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules, keeping the minimum income requirement in the Spouse/Partner route at £29,000 until the review is complete.
The following may also be of interest:
On 30 July, the Immigration Minister, Seema Malhotra MP published Written Ministerial Statement on Afghan Resettlement:
Written statements – Written questions, answers and statements – UK Parliament.
- This Government is implementing the commitment that families who were separated by the military evacuation from Kabul in August 2021 can be reunited in the UK.
- Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme Pathway 1 Stage 2: Separated Families opened on Tuesday 30 July. The window to submit an expression of interest will remain open for 3 months until 30 October 2024.
On 29 July, the Immigration Minister published a Written Ministerial statement on the European Entry/Exit System (EES)
Written statements – Written questions, answers and statements – UK Parliament
- The UK Government is working to maintain border fluidity with the European Union throughout the implementation of the new Entry/Exit System, ensuring UK nationals and residents can continue to access European destinations effectively and efficiently.
- Provides an update on the immediate steps being taken to improve preparations and levels of readiness.
FIS is working with the Construction Leadership Council to ensure that the Government understands the impact of current policy on the construction sector (more here) and has advice on employing migrant workers in our employment hub here.
To help members recruit overseas skilled workers to fill the skills gaps being experienced in the industry which is inhibiting growth, FIS has partnered with specialist immigration lawyers, Migrate UK to help members to explore whether hiring overseas skilled workers is a viable route for them Find out more here