The British government intends to tighten visa rules to limit the influx of workers entering the country legally. The relevant measures are set out in a White Paper on immigration, which will be presented to Parliament on Monday.
The document provides for the introduction of new educational requirements for applicants for skilled visas, as well as restrictions on the issuance of visas for less skilled workers. According to a statement released on Sunday by the Home Office, a special group will be set up to identify sectors of the economy that are overly dependent on foreign labour.
The ministry said the government is considering introducing short-term visas for low-skilled workers only if there is compelling evidence of a labour shortage and provided that employers commit to training and employing local workers.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer had previously promised to reduce migration in response to public concerns about the strain on public services. This issue sparked a wave of protests immediately after the Labour Party came to power in the summer of 2024. In some cases, the protests turned violent, with right-wing groups getting involved.
Sharp increase in migrants
The initiatives were a response to a sharp increase in the number of visas issued to skilled workers, which tripled since the programme was introduced in 2020 by Boris Johnson’s government. The programme was intended to strengthen border controls after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
Net migration in the country remains at historically high levels, reaching 906,000 in the year to June 2023. The number of long-term residents in the UK rose by 80% between 2021 and 2024, while the number of dependents entering with applicants increased by 360% between 2021 and 2023.
The government has also been criticised for not paying enough attention to the needs of businesses and for failing to effectively tackle the exploitation of visa holders, particularly in the form of labour exploitation, debt bondage and human trafficking, especially in the care sector.
Conservative Party spokesperson for home affairs Chris Philp said the proposed measures were insufficient to significantly reduce legal migration. He called on Labour to support mandatory immigration quotas and the Conservatives’ initiative to repeal existing human rights legislation in the area of migration.
