Higher salary threshold for UK family visas: what new rules mean

New Delhi:

Britain announced on Thursday it was raising the minimum income threshold required to sponsor family members for visas in the country as part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plan to cut immigration levels. With immediate effect, the income benchmark has been raised from £18,600 to £29,000, an increase of more than 55%, and is planned to rise to £38,700 early next year.

The UK government said: “Today’s changes come as the Home Secretary delivers on his promise to deliver major reforms to the immigration system within weeks of measures to tighten student visa pathways unveiled in May 2023 made later,” in a statement.

Immigration is one of the key polling issues ahead of this year’s UK general election, with surveys pointing to a crushing defeat for Sunak’s Conservatives. The new rules are part of Mr Sunak’s plan to “reduce unsustainable and unfair levels of immigration and ensure people arriving here do not burden the taxpayer”.

Explaining the rationale behind the latest policy changes, Home Secretary James Cleverley said it was important to ease the pressure caused by mass immigration. “We have reached a tipping point for mass immigration. There are no simple solutions or simple decisions that can reduce numbers to a level acceptable to the British people,” he said.

It subtly highlights the UK Government’s commitment to protecting British workers and wages while ensuring those moving to the UK do not become dependent on public funds.

Revised income requirements are designed to ensure families seeking to reunite in the UK demonstrate self-sufficiency, with provisions allowing the threshold to be met through a variety of means, including savings and employment income.

“I promised action and we have delivered on it with astonishing speed. We have taken action to cut unsustainable numbers, protect British workers and their wages and ensure those bringing their families to the UK do not burden the taxpayer , and create an immigration system that works for British people. The future – the public can rightly be confident about the future,” Cleverly added.

In addition to changes to the income threshold, the UK government has also imposed strict rules on student visas, while also significantly increasing the health surcharge for foreigners on the National Health Service (NHS) by 66%.

Immigration numbers currently hover at 745,000, with the British government planning to cut this to 300,000.