Reducing immigration, legal and illegal: this is one of the major objectives of Rishi Sunak’s British government, with elections due to be held next year. New Home Secretary James Cleverly has announced measures which make it more difficult to access a work visa in the UK.
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This is a serious turn of the screw that James Cleverly announced to parliamentarians. Facing MPs, he announced an increase in the minimum salary required to obtain a work visa to 38,700 pounds sterling (45,160 euros), comparable to the median full-time salary, compared to 26,200 pounds currently, an increase of 47%, underlines the ‘France Media Agency.
“ We will stop immigration driving down British wages. We will increase the floor salary by a third, and align it with the median salary of corresponding jobs “, said James Cleverly. The Minister of the Interior also announced a reform of the list of professions lacking labor. This list of professions in tension will be reduced to “ avoid abuse “, clarified James Cleverly. Also reduces the number of dependents (parents, children) that each visa holder will be able to bring, underlines our correspondent in London, Emeline Vin.
Concern in the health sector
Among the professions in tension and therefore not subject to this minimum salary, those in the health sector which experienced several strikes in recent months. But they will be subject to other restrictions and in particular risk no longer being able to bring their families. Professional organizations are worried. NHS Providers, an organization which represents hospital groups in England, ruled “ deeply worrying » these changes which risk deterring employees in the sector from trying to come to the United Kingdom.
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“ Some 100,000 workers in the medical-social sector brought in around 120,000 dependents in the past year. It is estimated that only 25% of dependents are employed. Which means that a significant number of them put pressure on our public services without contributing to our economy. », insisted the minister. The unions denounce the consequences of this plan for the medical-social sector, while 20% of public hospital employees come from abroad.
Legislation on the right to asylum also toughened
These announcements, which are due to come into force in the spring, are in addition to a tightening of measures targeting students, who from January will no longer be able – with exceptions – to bring their loved ones to the United Kingdom and a 66% increase in amount that foreigners will have to pay to have access to the public health system, the NHS.
Outside Parliament, Home Secretary James Cleverly promised “ the biggest reduction » never carried out in terms of net immigration: “ 300,000 fewer people will be able to come to the UK in the coming years compared to last year », Promised the head of the Home Office. Last month, legal immigration figures have been revised upwards. And illegal arrivals of migrants across the Channel on small boats also skyrocketed last year, with 45,000 arrivals. And there have been nearly 30,000 since the start of this year.
The government has tightened its legislation on the right to asylum and strengthened its cooperation with other countries, including France, to fight against the phenomenon. He must also announce a new treaty in order to be able to deport to Rwanda migrants who arrived illegally on British soil, after a severe snub by the British justice system against this flagship measure of its policy to combat illegal immigration.
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(and with agencies)