Salary Threshold Hike and Stricter Controls in Focus amid Rising Net Migration
Home Secretary Suella Braverman is set to amend the UK’s points-based immigration rules, targeting a hike in the salary threshold for migrant workers seeking entry, which presently stands at £26,200.
This move follows the noticeable surge in net migration last year, hitting a record high of 606,000, predominantly fueled by arrivals from outside the EU, coming for education, employment, or refuge from global conflict zones.
Earlier in May, Braverman announced restrictive measures on international students, barring the majority from bringing family members along, unless enrolled in postgraduate research programmes. This was a response to the significant uptick in student visas issued, which leaped to 486,000 last year from 269,000 in 2019, alongside a monumental rise in visas for dependants.
Concurrently, to curb illegal migration, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is leveraging a summit in Albania, seeking broader cooperation on migrant movements. Reflecting on a recent agreement with Albania, Cleverly highlighted a 90% reduction in small boat arrivals from the country, demonstrating the UK’s ongoing commitment towards addressing illegal migration and broader security challenges in the Western Balkans region1. Story Source
