In a significant departure from the immigration policies of the previous Conservative government, the newly elected Labour government in the UK has announced the suspension of an impending increase in the income threshold for family visas. This move effectively means that British nationals and permanent residents will no longer be required to demonstrate an annual income of at least £38,700 to bring family members to the country.
The decision to halt the proposed increase, which was originally scheduled to take effect in 2025, was revealed by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. The policy to raise the income threshold from £29,000 to £38,700 was introduced earlier this year by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as part of his efforts to curb record immigration levels.
However, the current Labour government has taken a different stance, opting to pause the planned increase and instead initiate a comprehensive review of the family visa policy by the Migration Advisory Committee. Until this review is completed, the existing £29,000 income threshold will remain in place.
Cooper, in a statement reported by the Evening Standard, affirmed that no further changes to the family visa policy will be implemented until the Migration Advisory Committee, an independent public body, has completed its review.
Furthermore, Cooper emphasized that the new Labour government will adopt a fresh approach to legal migration, prioritizing the upskilling of the local workforce before considering the recruitment of foreign workers. This shift in policy suggests a recognition of the need to address existing labor market issues and skill gaps within the UK before relying on foreign labor.
The Home Secretary went on to state that the increasing levels of legal migration witnessed in recent years reflect a “failure” in addressing the underlying challenges within the country’s labor market.
It is noteworthy that Indians constitute the second-largest cohort under the Family Visa category in the UK, according to statistics released by the UK Home Office. In 2023, 5,248 family visas were granted to Indian nationals, placing them behind Pakistanis and ahead of Bangladeshis.
While the Labour government has opted to reverse the increase in the income threshold for family visas, it has retained many of the visa restrictions implemented by the previous Tory government, including those impacting overseas students and care workers bringing family dependents.
Cooper acknowledged the importance of protecting the integrity of the immigration system from abuse while also emphasizing the value of the economic and academic contributions made by international students.
