The United Kingdom has implemented a series of stringent measures aimed at curtailing the influx of foreign workers.
These changes are part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce net migration and decrease reliance on international recruitment in sectors that have traditionally depended heavily on overseas talent. The new policies are expected to have far-reaching consequences for both employers and foreign workers. At the core of these changes is a tightening of visa sponsorship rules. The UK government has made it more challenging for employers to hire foreign workers by imposing stricter employment standards for securing and maintaining sponsorship licenses.
This move is designed to encourage employers to prioritize domestic hiring and invest in local talent development. Simultaneously, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has intensified its scrutiny of employers sponsoring foreign workers. This includes more frequent site visits and thorough investigations, with non-compliance potentially resulting in severe penalties such as suspension or revocation of sponsor licenses. Perhaps the most significant change is the substantial increase in the minimum salary requirement for the UK Skilled Worker visa. The threshold has been raised from £26,200 to £38,700, effectively reducing the pool of eligible lower-wage foreign workers.
This measure aims to ensure that only highly skilled workers commanding higher salaries can enter the UK workforce. Additionally, the UK’s Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) will play a crucial role in monitoring sectors facing skill shortages, providing annual assessments to guide future immigration policies. This sector-specific approach seeks to address critical workforce needs while adhering to the government’s overall goal of reducing net migration. The government has also introduced several complementary measures to further tighten immigration controls. These include the abolition of the Shortage Occupation List which previously allowed employers to pay foreign workers 20% less than the going rate for certain jobs.
This change aims to prevent wage undercutting for domestic workers and ensure fair pay across all sectors. Moreover, the annual charge for foreign workers to use the National Health Service (NHS) has been significantly increased to ensure that foreign workers contribute more substantially to public services. In a move that has sparked considerable debate, the government has announced plans to ban care workers from bringing family dependents to the UK. This policy change is expected to have a significant impact on the care sector, which has historically relied heavily on foreign workers.
These measures collectively represent a substantial shift in the UK’s immigration policy, with Home Secretary James Cleverly emphasizing their need to create a fairer system that benefits British workers and reduces dependence on cheap foreign labour. According to Industry leaders and experts, the new rules could exacerbate skill shortages in critical sectors such as healthcare, technology, and engineering. They argue that the higher salary thresholds and stricter visa sponsorship rules may impede UK businesses’ ability to attract necessary talent and maintain global competitiveness.
