UK Elections 2024: Immigration Policy Tracker – Migration Observatory

Net migration levels Net migration is the measure of migration most commonly used in British political debate. This is the number of people coming to the UK from abroad minus the number of people leaving.

In 2023, net migration was 685,000, well above the level of around 200,000-300,000 recorded in 2010.

More: Net migration to the UK

The Conservative Party said immigration was too high and that the number of people arriving from abroad should fall. However, it did not specify a specific goal.

In December 2023, Home Secretary James Cleverly announced several measures to reduce immigration levels. Specific changes are discussed with the relevant policy area.

Labor has not set a specific target for the level of net migration, but Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said the party will introduce measures to reduce net migration. These changes are discussed under the relevant policy area. Labor migration The Skilled Worker visa is the largest route for labor migration in the UK. People coming to the UK on this visa must have secured a job that meets certain skill and salary requirements.

Jobs added to the Immigration Salary List (formerly the Shortage Occupations List) may meet a lower salary threshold to be eligible for a visa.

More: Migrants in the UK labor market: an overview. How will the new salary thresholds affect migration to the UK? and The ban on family members of care workers: what will be the impact?

The government initially liberalized labor migration from outside the EU after Brexit, but partially reversed liberalization in early 2024. From March 2024, care workers cannot bring their dependents to the UK and the minimum wage required to obtain a skilled worker visa has increased from £26,200 to £38,700 in April 2024. There are some exceptions to the salary threshold, such as for care workers and older people.

In addition, people coming to the UK to work on the immigration payroll must be paid a salary of £30,960 or the average earnings for a specific occupation, whichever is higher.

Labor says it will ask the Migration Advisory Committee to review the impact of raising the skilled worker salary threshold to £38,700 and a ban on the employment of dependent care workers.

In May 2023, Labor said employers would need to meet additional conditions to receive a sponsor license, such as demonstrating efforts to train domestic workers. As a result, in November 2022, shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said the party would review the decision to abolish the “resident labor market test”, which requires employers to demonstrate that they have tried to recruit in the UK before hiring from abroad . Kinnock also said Labor would merge the Migration Advisory Committee with the industrial strategy and skills bodies.

Student migration and the journey of graduates The migration of international students and their family members is the largest single group explaining the increase in net migration since 2019. In 2023, 143,500 visas were issued to student dependents, the highest level on record.

After completing their studies, international students can live and work in the UK for two years (or three if they are PhD graduates) by switching to a post-study work visa, called a graduate visa.

More: Student migration to the UK

In January 2024, the Conservative Party banned most students from bringing family members with them to the UK.

The Conservatives have proposed further measures to tackle the problem of “rogue recruitment agents”, restricting distance learning and allowing universities accepting international students who fail Home Office visa checks to lose their sponsor’s licences.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Labor would maintain the ban on family members of students.

Labor has not commented publicly on the graduate pathway review.

Family income threshold The minimum income that British citizens and migrants with Indefinite Leave to Remain must earn in order to bring partners and children from abroad to live with them in the UK. It was first introduced in 2012.

More: Family fate: new UK income requirement for partner visas

The minimum income requirement was increased from £18,600 to £29,000 in April 2024. This was the first of three proposed increases. The Conservatives have announced they plan to raise the threshold to £38,700 in early 2025. A Labor Party spokesman reportedly said the party had “real concerns” about the increase in the minimum income requirement to £38,700 and would ask the Migration Advisory Committee to review the change. Immigration fees Migrants applying for a UK visa usually have to pay fees. The main costs include: visa application fees; fees for applications for the extension of a national visa; health subsidy for immigrants; and settlement and citizenship fees.

More: Questions and answers: Immigration fees in the UK

In October 2023, the Home Office increased fees for various immigration and citizenship applications. In February 2024, the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) was increased. The government has suggested that the increase will indirectly help fund the police increase, while the higher IHS rate will reflect the estimated average cost of providing NHS services to migrants who incur the surcharge. Labor has not commented publicly on the immigration fee increases. Youth mobility program visas The Youth Mobility Visa Scheme (YMS) provides non-renewable work visas to younger people (usually aged 18 to 30) with whom the UK has an agreement. YMS holders do not need sponsorship from an employer and are not tied to specific positions. There are limits on the number of visas for each nationality.

The EU has published a proposal for YMS negotiations with the UK

More: Work visas and migrant workers in the UK

A government spokesman said the party “is not introducing an EU-wide youth mobility program.” Press reports show that he has previously offered bilateral YMS contracts to individual EU countries, including: Spain, Germany and Poland. In response to the EU proposals, a Labor Party spokesman said the party had “no plans for a youth mobility program” with the EU. Exploitation of migrant care workers While it is not possible to quantify the extent of exploitation of migrant workers in the care sector, qualitative evidence suggests that it is a widespread problem.

Reported types of exploitation brought to the attention of the Migration Advisory Committee and ICIBI include modern slavery, unpaid working hours and bonded labor (i.e. forced labor to repay debts).

From March 2024, providers must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to sponsor migrant care workers. Labor has not publicly stated how it will address the exploitation of migrant care workers.