By Tom Edgington & Tamara Kovacevic
BBC News
People who want to come and work in the UK, alone or with family, now have to earn significantly more money to qualify for a visa.
The change is part of government plans to limit the number of legal migrants, after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the record 745,000 figure for 2022 was “far too high”.
What is the minimum salary UK visa applicants need?
Most people wanting to work in the UK still have to apply for a visa through the points-based system (PBS).
They have to earn at least £38,700 – an increase of nearly 50% from the previous £26,200 minimum.
The threshold does not apply to some jobs – such as in health and social care, and teachers on national pay scales. But overseas care workers cannot bring family dependants with them.
What about family visas?
And the minimum income level needed to qualify for these visas has also increased.
It was initially set at £38,700 – a sharp rise from the previous £18,600 threshold.
But after warnings the new rules risked separating families, the government dropped the new minimum to £29,000.
The amount will increase in the future, however – first to £34,500 and then £38,700. Rishi Sunak said the higher threshold would be reached “in early 2025”.
But anyone renewing an existing family visa will not have to meet the new earnings threshold, the Home Office has confirmed.
How does the points-based system work?
Applicants need 70 points to qualify for a skilled worker visa.
The remaining 20 points can come from a higher salary, working in a sector with job shortages, or having a relevant PhD.
The standard fee for a skilled visa is usually between £719 and £1,500.
The amount can vary – but from April 2024, the standard fee is £1,035 per year, up from £624.
What is the ‘shortage occupation list’?
The “shortage occupation list” helps employers fill vacancies in key sectors.
These jobs have a lower salary threshold, making it easier for applicants to gain enough points to get a visa.
Image source, Getty Images
A wide range of construction jobs are on the list
Employers used to be able to pay foreign workers 80% of the usual “going rate” to fill these positions.
But this rule has been abolished and the number of occupations on the list is being cut.
How many migrants come to the UK?
In the year ending June 2023, 1,180,000 people came to the UK expecting to stay for at least a year, and an estimated 508,000 departed.
That means net migration – the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving – stood at 672,000.
The vast majority of the 1,180,000 – 968,000 – came from outside the EU.
Of those, 39% came to study, 33% to work, and 9% for humanitarian reasons, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The top five non-EU nationalities were:
- Indian – 253,000
- Nigerian – 141,000
- Chinese – 89,000
- Pakistani – 55,000
- Ukrainian – 35,000
What are the rules for student visas?
In the 12 months to the end of September 2023, the government issued 486,107 study visas.
Half of those were granted to Indian and Chinese nationals, with the next most popular countries for student visa applicants being Nigeria, Pakistan and the US.
Those on postgraduate courses could also apply for visas for qualifying dependants: a husband, wife, civil or unmarried partner and children under 18.
In the year ending September 2023, 152,980 visas were issued to dependants.
But since January 2024, international postgraduate students cannot bring dependants unless their course is designated as a research programme.
Students who have already completed their degree can stay in the UK for two years – three years for those with a doctoral degree – to work under a graduate visa.
In the year to the end of September 2023, 104,501 such visas were issued, excluding dependants.
What about seasonal workers?
Temporary workers such as fruit pickers and poultry workers are covered by seasonal worker visas.
For 2023 and 2024 there are between 45,000 and 55,000 seasonal worker visas available, plus another 2,000 for poultry workers.
Image source, Getty Images
An application costs £298.
Workers must be paid the relevant national minimum wage.
How has Brexit changed immigration?
Before Brexit, EU and UK citizens had the freedom to live, work or study in any EU country without needing a visa.
However, this freedom of movement ended on 1 January 2021 when the UK left the EU.
In the 12 months to June 2023, net EU migration was -86,000, meaning more EU nationals left the UK than arrived.
Net migration of non-EU nationals – the difference between those arriving and those leaving – was 768,000.
Net migration of British nationals was -10,000, meaning more British people left the UK than came back.
