Migration - Meeting Scotland's Needs

Recent changes to the Immigration System

32. The previous UK Government introduced a number of changes to the immigration system. With the exception of changes to the financial threshold for the Family Visa, which is the subject of a review by the Migration Advisory Committee, these changes have been maintained by the current UK Government.

In January 2024 changes to the rules were introduced meaning that most international students are no longer able to bring family members on their visa. Research based postgraduate students are still allowed to bring family members with them to the UK.

The Immigration Health Surcharge was increased from £624 to £1035 per annum per applicant in February 2024. There is a discounted rate for certain groups including children and students.

Since March 2024 social care workers are no longer allowed to bring dependants (that is, partners and children) on their visa.

In April 2024 the baseline minimum salary to be sponsored for a Skilled Worker visa increased from £26,200 to £38,700, while the ‘going rate’ minimum salary specific to each job also went up significantly.

In April 2024 the list of jobs for which it is possible to sponsor someone for a Skilled Worker visa at a reduced minimum salary was made shorter and renamed the Immigration Salary List.

In April 2024 the minimum income normally required for British citizens to sponsor a spouse/partner visa rose from £18,600 to £29,000. The spouse/partner visa minimum income rose to £29,000. A planned further increase to the minimum income threshold to £38,700 in early 2025 was cancelled by the UK Labour Government following the UK General Election in July 2024, and the UK Government has commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to review the thresholds.

In May 2024 the Migration Advisory Committee published their review of the Graduate Visa, a two-year unsponsored work permit for overseas graduates of British Universities, to check for possible abuse of the system. The Migration Advisory Committee recommended that the route stay open.

33. The impact of the changes introduced by the UK Government are starting to be seen in recent immigration statistics. However, it may take some time for the full impact of all of these changes to be fully visible.

34. Immigration statistics published by the Home Office in November 2024 showed that there has been an 84% fall in the number of ‘Health and Care Worker’ visas issued to main applicants in the 6 months between April and September 2024 when compared to the same period in 2023^[12].