UK Conservatives Propose Annual Cap on Foreign Worker Visas

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a plan to implement an annual cap on immigration visas, aiming to reduce the number of foreign workers and their dependents entering the United Kingdom.

Sunak revealed the proposal as part of a strategy to appeal to core voters who are concerned about the surge in net migration, which reached a record high of 764,000 in 2022.

Sunak brought in new rules this year to cut legal migration, including barring international students from bringing in family members and increasing the salary threshold for skilled worker visas, and eliminating reduced pay rates for foreign workers in shortage occupations.

The government has not set a specific target for reducing migration but will commission the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to establish a cap that would bring immigration to “sustainable” levels.

Reports indicate that immigration and asylum are currently considered among the most critical issues in Britain, alongside the state of the country's health service and economy.

Proposal To Cut Immigration

The Prime Minister proposed that the cap be lowered yearly over the next parliament to bring net migration down.

The cap would only apply to work and family visas, which made up around half of the 1.3 million visas issued in the year to March 2024.

Reports have suggested that the cap would be broken into monthly allocations, with sectors such as health and care given a specific quota. Other sectors suffering from shortages would also be prioritised, while regional migration demands would be considered.

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