The United Kingdom has released its white paper on
immigration which details changes across various sectors.
A white paper is an official government document which
presents the final version of a government’s proposal.
Sometimes, they include a draft version of a planned bill.
The Keir Starmer-led British administration published the bulky
82-page document on Monday.
Starmer said the changes will “finally take back control of
our borders”.
Speaking at a press conference, the prime minister blamed
the Tories for shooting up immigration numbers in the time they held power.
“Now, make no mistake — this plan means migration will fall.
That’s a promise,” Starmer said.
“But I want to be very clear on this. If we do need to take
further steps, if we do need to do more to release pressure on housing and our
public services, then mark my words — we will. But it’s not just about
numbers.”
Here are the major changes.
ENDING SOCIAL CARE
VISAS
Social care work is one of the visa routes to the UK. It
allows qualified doctors, nurses, health professionals, and adult social care
professionals to migrate to the UK and bag eligible health or social care jobs
for approved employers, including the NHS or registered social care providers.
In the new white paper, the British government said it would
end overseas recruitment for social care visas “in line with our wider reforms
to skills thresholds”.
“For a transition period until 2028, while the workforce
strategy is being developed and rolled out, we will permit visa extensions and
in-country switching for those already here. This will be kept under review,”
it added.
LONGER SETTLEMENT
ROUTE FOR MIGRANTS, SHORTER TIME FOR STUDENTS
Prior to the changes, the qualifying period for settlement
in the UK was pegged at five years. That has now been doubled.
The revision was made to ensure that those who remain in the
UK are significant contributors to the economy, the paper said.
“High-value” contributors were named as those working in
healthcare and technology.
In addition, the length of time graduates can remain in the
UK after their studies will be reduced from five years to 18 months.
“We will strengthen the requirements that all sponsoring
institutions must meet in order to recruit international students,” the
administration noted.
Further details on the increased settlement route are
expected to be sent to parliament by the end of the year.
ENGLISH TESTS FOR
DEPENDANTS
Changes also introduced are new English language
requirements across a broader range of immigration routes, for both main
applicants and their dependants.
Previously, dependants were not required to take these
tests.
There will be “an assessment of improvements over time”.
FOREIGN NATIONAL
OFFENDERS AT HIGHER RISK
The white paper mandates the Home Office to be informed of
all foreign nationals convicted of offences — not just those who go to prison.
“Review deportation thresholds to take into account a wider
range of factors than just the length of sentence, and start by revising the
statutory exceptions criteria to ensure that the deportation test reflects the
seriousness of violence against women and girls,” the Home Office said.
A review of the thresholds for deporting foreign national
offenders is also among the revisions.
FASTER DEPORTATIONS
As part of efforts to facilitate faster deportations,
“measures” will be taken to ensure other governments support the return of
their nationals.
These measures were not specified.
Rwanda currently has a strained relationship with the UK
over a failed asylum deal.
REDUCTION IN
INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENTS
The immigration document said the government will create a
Labour Market Evidence Group which will use data to make decisions about the
state of the labour market and reduce reliance on international recruitment.
As such, only occupations with long-term shortages will be
able to recruit from abroad — as long as a workforce strategy is in place and
employers are committed to increasing domestic recruitment.
The document noted that there will be an increase in the
minimum salary requirement for skilled workers at graduate level, but discounts
from that threshold will be abolished.
Without immigration controls, the UK risks becoming an
“island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together”, Starmer said.
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