Govind Tekale
The UK government has announced sweeping changes to its immigration rules, marking what Prime Minister Keir Starmer calls a “controlled, selective and fair” system. The changes come as net migration reached 728,000 in the year ending June 2024, down from a peak of 906,000 in June 2023.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper points to a clear shift from previous policies: “We’re moving away from a free market experiment that replaced free movement.” The new rules touch everything from work visas to family immigration, with some of the biggest changes hitting the care sector.
The rules for skilled workers are getting stricter. Only jobs requiring a university degree will qualify for skilled worker visas. Workers will need to improve their English skills from B1 to B2 level. The government is also scrapping the current system that allows lower salaries for jobs that are in short supply.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) expresses concerns about filling critical roles, particularly in sectors already facing worker shortages.
One of the biggest changes? The UK will stop letting care companies hire workers from overseas. Current care workers can stay until 2028, but after that, companies need to hire locally. Care homes are worried. The National Care Association says this could affect services if there aren’t enough local workers to fill the gaps.
People working in the UK will now wait longer to call it home permanently. The time needed to get a settled status is doubling from 5 years to 10 years for most visas. The government plans a faster track for some highly skilled workers, but hasn’t shared the details yet.
International students will see changes to their post-study work options. The graduate visa that lets them stay and work after finishing university is dropping from two years to 18 months. The government is considering introducing a levy on international student income to fund domestic skills training.
The government is bringing in new digital IDs and e-visas to track who’s staying in the country. They’re also planning more checks on illegal working.
The changes have sparked debate across the UK. Reform UK’s Nigel Farage calls them “tinkering around the edges,” wanting stricter rules. The Liberal Democrats worry about filling job vacancies, especially in social care, suggesting better pay and training for British workers instead.
Business groups warn these changes could hurt the economy. They say some sectors really need overseas workers, and these aren’t always cheaper options – they’re often just filling gaps where local workers aren’t available.
Care providers are particularly vocal about their concerns. They say that without overseas recruitment and proper investment in local training and better pay, vulnerable people might not get the care they need.
The changes mark a significant shift in how the UK handles immigration. While the government aims to control numbers better and boost opportunities for British workers, many worry about the practical impacts on businesses, services, and communities. The real test will be how these changes affect daily life, from staffing in care homes to university campuses and beyond.
