In a move aimed at reducing migration and addressing concerns over dependency, the United Kingdom (UK) has announced stringent visa regulations, barring health and care workers from Nigeria and other foreign countries from bringing dependents into the country.
The UK Home Office unveiled this policy shift in a statement posted on its verified X handle (formerly Twitter) on Monday. The decision comes as part of the UK government’s broader strategy to curb migration, citing the substantial influx of overseas care workers and their dependents into the country, estimated at 120,000 in the year leading up to September 23.
The Home Office stated: “From today, care workers entering the UK on Health and Care Worker visas can no longer bring dependants. This is part of our plan to deliver the biggest ever cut in migration.”
This announcement aligns with earlier proposals by the UK Home Secretary, James Cleverly, who advocated for new laws to control migration within the UK. Reports from the BBC outlined plans to raise the minimum salary requirement for skilled worker visas from £26,000 to £38,700, a move intended to further restrict entry.
Cleverly addressed parliament, suggesting that the implementation of these restrictions in the previous year might have led to an estimated reduction of 300,000 migrants annually. Notably, individuals with health and social care visas will be exempt from the elevated wage threshold. However, the new regulations stipulate that overseas caregivers will no longer be permitted to bring dependents, including partners and children, into the UK.
One significant implication of these measures is that UK citizens marrying non-UK citizens will face hurdles in bringing their spouses into the country until the latter meets the £38,700 income requirement.
The UK’s decision to tighten visa rules underscores its efforts to manage migration levels and address concerns surrounding dependency, particularly within the healthcare sector.
