The United Kingdom’s Home Office has outlined a comprehensive set of measures in its new immigration white paper aimed at reforming the UK’s immigration system. One of the key focuses is reversing the long-standing trend of relying heavily on international recruitment at the expense of developing domestic skills and training. To address this, the government is establishing the Labour Market Evidence Group, which will utilise the best available data to inform decisions on labour market policies, ensuring that migration is not relied upon unnecessarily.
In a bid to ensure that “skilled” workers are truly qualified, the government plans to raise the threshold for skilled workers to RQF 6 (graduate level) and above, with corresponding salary thresholds also set to increase. The existing immigration salary list, which offered exemptions for certain salary bands, will be abolished. Furthermore, access to the points-based immigration system will be restricted to occupations with long-term shortages, based on advice from the Migration Advisory Committee and backed by a workforce strategy from employers.
For adult social care, the government intends to end the recruitment of overseas workers via social care visas. This change aligns with broader reforms to skills thresholds, and while a workforce strategy is developed, the government will allow visa extensions and in-country switching for those already in the country. This policy will be reviewed periodically, with a transition period running until 2028.
The government also plans to strengthen its controls over international student recruitment, ensuring that sponsoring institutions meet higher standards. Institutions struggling to meet their obligations will be placed on an action plan and subjected to limitations on recruiting new students. Additionally, the period for graduates to stay in the UK after their studies will be reduced to 18 months (no longer two years).
In terms of family immigration, the white paper seeks to simplify the overly complex immigration rules. The government plans to introduce legislation that clarifies who decides who should remain in the UK, addressing concerns where family life arguments are used to delay deportation where it is in the public interest.
On the economic front, the government aims to attract highly skilled individuals to the UK through targeted routes for top global talent. This includes expanding places for research interns and reviewing the Innovator Founder Visa and Global Talent Visa to support key sectors of the UK economy.
The white paper also proposes tighter controls to tackle immigration abuse. These measures include stricter asylum policies, with increased scrutiny on asylum claims from countries where conditions have not materially changed. Additionally, there will be penalties for sponsors who abuse the system, and further actions will be taken to ensure that other governments support the UK’s immigration integrity.
For foreign national offenders, the Home Office plans to overhaul the deportation system, ensuring that all foreign nationals convicted of crimes, not just those sentenced to prison, are considered for removal. The government will also reassess the criteria for deportation, particularly in cases involving violence against women and girls.
As part of its long-term plans, the government will introduce new English language requirements for a broader range of immigration routes, including for dependants, ensuring better integration into British society. Finally, the qualifying period for settlement and citizenship will be extended to ten years, with the points-based system expanded to include settlement and citizenship applications, based on applicants’ contributions to the UK.
