Background
The UK government is set to announce a significant package aimed at reducing net migration in response to public concerns over the record number of migrants entering the country. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to unveil measures that would significantly increase the salary requirement for overseas workers to £38,000, as well as imposing further restrictions on their ability to bring family members.
Context
Recent figures show that 745,000 individuals migrated to Britain in the past year, prompting criticism from some Conservative MPs. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that the number of migrants for the 12 months leading up to June 2023 is slightly lower at 672,000. During this period, a total of 1.18 million individuals arrived in the UK, while 508,000 left. The majority of migrants were from non-EU countries, with India being the largest group at 253,000 arrivals. Students accounted for 39% of non-EU migrants, while those on work-related visas made up 33%.
Government Response
The Prime Minister's proposed measures to address legal migration come ahead of a new agreement with Rwanda aimed at tackling illegal arrivals. Downing Street has defended plans to provide an additional £15 million to Rwanda, arguing that it is a cost-effective solution compared to the daily expense of housing small boat arrivals in hotels, which amounts to £8 million.
The Home Secretary, James Cleverly, is expected to finalize a new treaty with Rwanda in the coming days, following a previous plan that was rejected by the Supreme Court. However, the Prime Minister is anticipating significant resistance from lawyers and peers in his efforts to deport a single migrant, according to Trevor Kavanagh of Trending In The News.
