From the information provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for the year 2023, the total number of people coming to the UK was 1,218,000 of which 10% (126,000) were EU nationals and about 85% (1,031,000) came from outside the EU with the highest numbers coming from India, Nigeria and China.
The overall goal of the previous and current Government is to reduce net migration, which in the year ending December 2023 was at 685,000, in comparison to December 2022 that stood at 764,000.
At present in most circumstances, non-British citizens wanting to work in the UK have to apply for a visa through the points-based system (PBS) and need at least 70 points of which 50 points come from having a job offer above a minimum skill level and speaking English, with the remaining 20 points coming from a higher salary, working in a sector with job shortages, or having a relevant PhD.
From 11 April 2024, the minimum salary requirement for a skilled worker visa is whichever is the highest of £38,700 per year or the going rate for the type of work. However, this salary threshold does not apply to some jobs such as those in health and social care and teachers on national pay scales.
What are Labour's Plans on Migration and the Employment of foreign workers in the UK?
The Labour government has highlighted its commitment towards reducing net migration with the focus on strongly encouraging businesses and employers to recruit staff by upskilling and training new talent locally rather than from outside the UK with the intention that the relevant government department would draw up workforce training plans in particular in industries where there are shortages of workers such as in construction, IT and engineering and to reinforce this requirement on employers, to possibly introduce a resident labour market test whereby employers would need to demonstrate efforts made to recruit domestically before hiring from overseas and where an employer falls foul of this requirement then they may lose their ability to sponsor migrant workers.
Also, with the increase in salary thresholds for skilled worker visa that took effect back in April 2024 representing a 48% increase, the Labour Government intends to review this current salary thresholds via the Migration Advisory Committee for them to advice and give guidance on the impact of this increase.
Beyond Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, making an announcement to Parliament on 30 July 2024 on how Labour will reform the immigration system, linking skills to sponsorship, employers and businesses must await further guidance from the Government on the proposed changes but what is clear is that businesses are likely to face a greater compliance burden in adhering to all the proposed changes that the Government are looking to introduce to employment law together with the financial costs linked to such changes.
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