The UK government has raised the general income threshold for those arriving in the country on a skilled worker visa from £26,200 to £38,700.
According to Home Secretary James Cleverly, the minimum wage has been raised by 48% to reduce migration and place British workers first in the labor force.
The changes that are now in place will reduce migration and prevent firms from undercutting British workers to recruit cheap labor from outside.
According to a statement posted on its website on Thursday, UK businesses must now pay international workers who come to the UK on a skilled worker visa much more.
It stated that the government would reduce the cost of foreign labor while still fulfilling its commitment to reduce net migration.
The UK government stated that this increase will help guarantee that the UK’s immigration system concentrates on hiring highly skilled individuals, helping to strengthen the UK economy while reducing overall numbers.
The government is clear that no industry should be chronically dependent on immigration; hence, the shortage occupation list was removed today, and companies are no longer permitted to pay migrants less than UK workers in shortage occupations.
The competent and unbiased Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) advised the creation of a new immigration salary list (ISL).
Roles on the list will only be included if they are skilled and in short supply, and if it is reasonable to include them given the efforts made by sectors to invest in the local workforce.
Inclusion on the list must not contribute to lower wages or impair the recruitment of British workers. Employers are advised to prioritize training, skill development, and hiring domestic workers.
It comes as the government takes strong action to help British people find jobs, in one of the most significant employment interventions in a generation, with its £2.5 billion Back to Job Plan.
This will help to remove barriers to employment for over a million people who are long-term unemployed, sick, or impaired.
Home Secretary James Cleverly states, “It’s time to turn off the taps and end the flow of cheap workers from abroad.
“Mass migration is unsustainable, and it’s simply not fair. It undercuts the wages of hard-working people who are just trying to make ends meet.
“We are refocusing our immigration system to prioritize the brightest and best who have the skills our economy needs while reducing overall numbers.
“I promised the British people an immigration system that serves their interests, and to bring numbers down, these tough measures deliver on that commitment. Employers must also play their part and put British workers first.”
Speaking on the previous reforms to reduce migration, the UK said, “In January, the government ended the ability of nearly all postgraduate students to bring dependents to the UK.
“A drastic fall in student-dependent applications is expected this year, with early indications already of this downward trend.”
