London: The UK has hiked the minimum income requirement for sponsoring a family member on a family visa. This has further tightened the criteria for immigration. As per salary thresholds announced by the UK government, the applicants must have a minimum salary of GBP 29,000 (British Pounds) (around Rs 30,21,174 as per the current exchange rate) to qualify.
This marks a significant 55 per cent increase from the previous threshold of GBP 18,600 (around Rs 19,37,718). The Rishi Sunak Government announced the hike last year as part of its stage plan to align the family visa threshold with that of the Skilled Worker Visa and it came into force on April 11.
According to the UK Home Office, the applicant or the sponsoring family member must now earn at least GBP 29,000 in the UK, if they are in the country with permission to work. There are various ways to meet the requirement, such as using savings alone or in conjunction with a reduced income. The action, according to the home office, completes Prime Minister Sunak’s package of measures to decrease legal migration and make sure newcomers don’t put a strain on the taxpayer.
According to Home Secretary James Cleverly, mass migration has reached a tipping point in the UK. According to him, there is no straightforward choice or method that reduces populations to levels that the British people would find acceptable. Astutely emphasized that the higher pay level was chosen to create an immigration system that is ready for the future.
James Cleverly as quoted by PTI said “I promised action and we have delivered at remarkable speed. We’ve acted to cut unsustainable numbers, to protect British workers and their wages, to ensure those bringing family to the UK do not burden taxpayers, and to build an immigration system fit for the future – and one the public can rightly have confidence in”.
Following the release of official figures indicating that legal net migration to Britain had reached a record high of 745,000 in 2022, the government announced tighter immigration policies.
