The United Kingdom announced on Thursday that it would gradually boost its controversial minimum salary requirement for family visas in stages to give predictability to immigrant families.
The struggling Conservative government launched a slew of measures earlier in December aimed at curbing record levels of migration — a key battlefield issue in the upcoming general election.
The Home Office announced the changes on Thursday, after a previously announced 47-percent increase in the minimum salary for skilled work visas, raising it to 38,700 pounds ($49,100).
It would first be set at 29,000 pounds, up from the current 18,600 pounds, and gradually reach the planned 38,700 pounds, though no timetable beyond spring has been provided.
The government plans to eventually align the criteria for family visas with the threshold for skilled work visas.
Child allowances will no longer be used to calculate income criteria, according to the Home Office.
This would ensure that British citizens were not treated differently from migrants, whose threshold will be a set rate regardless of the number of children sponsored.
Home Secretary James Cleverly stated that the overall strategy will lower net migration to the UK by 300,000 persons compared to the previous year.
The administration also announced adjustments to the list of occupations in limited supply, as well as measures to ensure that immigrants can support their family members effectively.
The broader immigration strategy also included student regulations and a 66-percent rise in the health levy for foreigners using the National Health Service.
According to the latest data, net immigration was substantially more than expected last year, with 745,000 persons arriving, far exceeding the estimated 606,000.
Immigration is expected to be a major topic in national elections that must be held by January 2025, and are now anticipated to be won by the main opposition Labour Party.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has committed to curbing new arrivals and has been under fire because data released last month revealed that net migration to the UN will reach an all-time high in 2022.
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