While the legislative elections are expected next year across the Channel, the conservative government of Rishi Sunak is trying to climb back up in the polls. Distanced by the Labor opposition, he strives in return to display a firm line on immigration, whether legal or illegal.
On Monday, the executive announced a tightening of the screws on legal immigration. All with the promise of “taking back control” of the borders thanks to Brexit.
End of family reunification for caregivers
Outside Parliament, Home Secretary James Cleverly promised “the biggest reduction” ever in terms of net immigration: “300,000 fewer people will be able to come to the United Kingdom in the coming years compared to the ‘last year “. Facing MPs, he announced an increase in the minimum salary required to obtain a work visa to 38,700 pounds sterling (45,160 euros), comparable to the median full-time salary, compared to 26,200 pounds currently, an increase of 47%.
If they are not affected by this threshold, employees in the health sector will no longer be able to bring their families to the United Kingdom, raising fears from organizations in the sector. NHS Providers, an organization which represents hospital groups in England, found these changes “deeply worrying” which risk deterring employees in the sector from trying to come to the United Kingdom.
The Minister of the Interior also announced a reform of the list of professions lacking labor and a system to ensure that immigrants who bring members of their family are able to support themselves. needs.
These announcements, which are due to come into force in the spring, are in addition to a tightening of measures targeting students, who from January will no longer be able to bring their loved ones to the United Kingdom, with exceptions, and a 66% increase in the amount that will have to pay foreigners to have access to the public health system, the NHS. It should increase to 1,035 pounds (1,200 euros), compared to 624 pounds currently, which should make it possible to raise “on average 1.3 billion pounds for the health services of this country”, declared James Cleverly.
Cooperation with France strengthened
According to official statistics published at the end of November, net immigration (difference between arrivals of foreign nationals and departures) amounted to 745,000 people last year, well above the initial estimate of 606,000 people.
Illegal arrivals of migrants across the Channel on small boats also soared in 2022, with 45,000 arrivals. And there have been nearly 30,000 since the start of this year. The government has tightened its legislation on the right to asylum and strengthened its cooperation with other countries, including France, to combat the phenomenon.