On 4 December 2023, the UK Home Secretary announced changes to the UK Immigration system; the changes are aimed at reducing Immigration to the UK.
To summarise the new changes:
- Tighten the Health and Care visa, by preventing overseas care workers from bringing their dependants to the UK. In addition, care providers in England will now only be able to sponsor a limited number of migrant workers if they work in specific regulated activities.
- from next spring (actual date TBC, but probably around March 2024), the government will increase the earning threshold for overseas workers by nearly 50% from its current position of £26,200 to £38,700.
- end the 20% going rate salary discount for shortage occupations and replace the Shortage Occupation List with a new Immigration Salary List.
- increasing the annual Immigration Health Surcharge from £624 to £1,035.
- removing the right for international students to bring dependants unless they are on postgraduate research courses and removing the ability for international students to switch onto work routes before their studies are completed.
The current information is available on the UK Gov website; this link will take you straight to it.
The changes will come into effect on 1 Jan 2024. Revised sticky posts will be on the Forum once the UK Government have issued revised information.
Although the Forum splits the UK into England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, these changes will apply to all countries of the United Kingdom, not just England.
I hope this helps.
Cynic
Expat Team
