UK reveals sweeping overhauls of immigration policy
(MENAFN) The UK government has announced a sweeping reform of its immigration system this week, a move widely seen by analysts as a direct response to the electoral success of the right-leaning Reform UK party in recent local elections.
The newly released Immigration White Paper, issued by the Labour government on Monday, outlines an aggressive plan to reduce legal migration. Titled "Restoring Control over the Immigration System," the document sets out proposals such as stricter residency requirements, higher income and language benchmarks for visa applicants, and the elimination of specific work-based entry routes.
According to reports, the proposed changes include doubling the required residency period for those seeking permanent settlement in the UK—from five years to ten. It also calls for the removal of the Health and Care visa route, which has been widely used by foreign care workers. In addition, the white paper recommends increasing the salary and English-language proficiency thresholds for those applying for both work and family visas.
This overhaul comes in the context of a record-breaking rise in immigration. The white paper highlights that net migration rose from 224,000 in 2019 to 906,000 in 2023—a fourfold increase. Data from the Home Office reveals that work visa approvals have sharply increased since 2021, particularly due to the Health and Care Worker visa category. This category alone expanded from 31,800 approvals in 2021 to 145,823 in 2023, a spike that directly influenced the decision to halt international recruitment for care sector roles.
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