Uk Suspends Proposed Law Requiring N80 Million Income for Family Visa
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced that the government’s plan to increase the family visa income threshold from £29,000 to £38,700 (approximately N80 million) has been put on hold.
Originally set to take effect in 2025, this policy was introduced earlier this year by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as part of measures to address high immigration levels.
The new administration has decided to delay the policy change until a comprehensive review is conducted by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). Cooper confirmed that no further changes will be made until the independent review is completed.
The MAC has been tasked with evaluating the impact of restricting migrant workers from bringing family members to the UK and the implications of raising wage thresholds.
The new UK government aims to reassess its approach to legal migration, focusing on enhancing the skills of the local workforce before considering foreign recruitment. Non-EU long-term migration increased from 277,000 from January to December 2022 to 423,000 from January to December 2023.
Cooper explained, “This is why we are setting out a different approach—one that links migration policy and visa controls to skills and labor market policies—so immigration is not used as an alternative to training or addressing workforce issues at home.”
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced that the government’s plan to increase the family visa income threshold from £29,000 to £38,700 (approximately N80 million) has been put on hold.
Originally set to take effect in 2025, this policy was introduced earlier this year by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as part of measures to address high immigration levels.
The new administration has decided to delay the policy change until a comprehensive review is conducted by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). Cooper confirmed that no further changes will be made until the independent review is completed.
The MAC has been tasked with evaluating the impact of restricting migrant workers from bringing family members to the UK and the implications of raising wage thresholds.
The new UK government aims to reassess its approach to legal migration, focusing on enhancing the skills of the local workforce before considering foreign recruitment. Non-EU long-term migration increased from 277,000 from January to December 2022 to 423,000 from January to December 2023.
Cooper explained, “This is why we are setting out a different approach—one that links migration policy and visa controls to skills and labor market policies—so immigration is not used as an alternative to training or addressing workforce issues at home.”
