London
In response to widespread criticism, the UK government has reversed its decision to increase the salary requirement for bringing family members to the country, shifting from GBP38,700 to GBP29,000. The initial proposal, announced earlier this month as part of a strategy to reduce net migration, had left an estimated 300,000 non-Britons, including many Indians, in shock. Lord Sharpe of Epsom confirmed the change of plan in response to a parliamentary question. He stated that the threshold would now incrementally rise to GBP29,000 in the spring, with further increases to follow, ultimately reaching GBP34,500 and then GBP38,700. However, specific dates for these increments were not provided. The opposition Labour party characterized the U-turn as Tory government chaos, with Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper expressing that ministers had failed to consult adequately on the new threshold. Cooper remarked, It’s no surprise they are now rowing back in a rush. The government faced pressure to reduce arrival numbers after net migration, the difference between those entering and leaving the UK, reached a record 745,000 last year. The revised threshold was anticipated to contribute to the government’s goal of cutting legal migration by 300,000 this year. Official statistics indicate that in the year to September, 82,395 family-related visas were issued, with 79% going to partners, 13% to children, and 8% to other relatives. The campaign group Reunite Families UK, which had threatened legal action against the government over the salary limit, deemed the new GBP29,000 threshold still very high for most families and criticized the government’s decision to raise it gradually as baffling.
