Immigration White paper: strict restrictions on overseas recruitment

According to the new immigration measures proposed today in the immigration white paper, the government will “radically reform” UK’s Immigration System.

Labour claims that the immigration system it inherited from its predecessors when it took power in the summer of last year was “chaotic”. Strict controls will be implemented on overseas recruitment, and employers must train their domestic workers.

According to the proposed new rules, migrant worker would be required to live in UK for twice as long they currently do before they can apply for citizenship. The time limit will increase to 10 years, up from the current five. However, there are exceptions for those who have made a “high” contribution to society.

The English language requirement will be extended to dependent adults for the first-time.

Keir starmer, the prime minister who launched the white paper on immigration, said that the rules will ensure a “clean break” from the chaotic system which the Labour Party assumed from the former government.

Employers who want to hire international workers must show that they invest in British workers, and are upskilling UK talent.

He added that the new system would make immigration “controlled and selective”, promising a “significant” drop in migration.

Starmer stated that he was doing this because it is right, fair and what he believes in. He added that the current immigration system “almost encourages abuse” and encourages employers to hire low-paid workers instead of investing in young local people.

In the year up to June 2024, net migration reached 728,000. It was a lower number than in the previous year when it had reached a new record of 906,000.

This drop is partly due to the measures introduced under the Conservative Government, such as changes to visas for students and dependents.

To reduce the number of low-skilled workers entering the UK, the skilled visa threshold is being raised to the graduate level. The government has said that the salary thresholds would “reflect” a higher level of skill.

Access to the immigration system for occupations below the graduate level will be “strictly limited in time” and will only be granted on the basis of strong evidence that there are skills shortages within areas “critical to industrial strategy”.

The paper also reveals the establishment of a Labour Market Evidence Group to examine areas that rely heavily on foreign labour, and support them in investing in local skills.

The LMEG is made up of representatives for the Industrial Strategy Council (ISC), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), skills bodies and Migration Advisory Committees (MAC).

The government announced last year that MAC will provide a yearly evaluation for ministers in sectors where there have been surges in overseas recruiting. Sectors are encouraged to work with Skills England in order to outline ways of boosting domestic skills in those areas.

Care sector blow

The government has proposed a radical measure: closing the international visa route to care workers. This sector relies heavily upon overseas staff.

According to the latest official estimates, there were 131,000 social care vacancies in England in 2017. Care England’s chief executive, Professor Martin Green, called the announcement by the government a “cruel blow” to a fragile sector.

“For years the sector has supported itself with shrinking resources, rising costs and increasing vacancies. The international recruitment was not a panacea, but it saved the sector’s life.

“Taking it now, without warning, funding or alternative, is cruel, not only short-sighted, he said.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that overseas care workers are often subjected to “shameful” levels of abuse and exploitation. 470 care providers have had their immigration sponsorship licence revoked.

International workers already sponsored by the government to work in this sector legally will be able extend their stay, switch sponsors, and apply for settlement. This includes those who have to change employers after a sponsor license revocation.

Cooper told the BBC yesterday that temporary shortage lists would exist for certain industries such as construction. This would allow workers from overseas to be recruited.

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