Thank you for contacting me about the increase in salary threshold for skilled workers.
The Government is taking decisive action to curb the levels of legal migration. The steps being taken will ensure that immigration always benefits the UK, while ensuring that the NHS and the country's most innovative businesses always have access to the talent they need to succeed.
I have received correspondence from constituents who are concerned about extending their spouse/partner visa after spring 2024. The Home Office has now said that it will raise the minimum income for family visas incrementally, in stages, to help give predictability for families. In spring 2024 the threshold to bring over family members will increase to £29,000 rather than £38,700 and any further increases will take place gradually over a longer period of time.
However, those coming in on the Health and Social Care visa route will be exempted so that the country can continue to bring the healthcare workers that the care sector and the NHS need. If these new rules were in place, they could have prevented over 10,000 individuals and their dependants coming to the UK in the year to September 2023. In future, this will mean that employers are not incentivised to undercut UK workers with cheaper overseas workers and instead invest in the skills of the domestic workforce.
