Latest news with #MadeleineSumption
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What we know about Labour's planned changes to immigration rules
The government is reportedly going to crack down on visa applications from people from nations known to often overstay. (Getty) The government is reportedly planning to restrict visa applications for people from countries that have the highest rate of visa overstays in the UK. According to The Times, the Home Office is planning to tighten applications for work and study visas for migrants most likely to overstay, judged on where they are from, including countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka. It has been suggested that a particular issue is when people come to the UK legally on work or study visas but go on to lodge claims for asylum in order to stay in the country permanently. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement The government is set to publish an immigration white paper in the coming weeks as part of its plan to overhaul what it has called the "broken immigration system". A Home Office spokesperson said in response: 'To tackle abuse by foreign nationals who arrive on work and study visas and go on to claim asylum, we are building intelligence on the profile of these individuals to identify them earlier and faster. 'We keep the visa system under constant review and will where we detect trends, which may undermine our immigration rules, we will not hesitate to take action. 'Under our plan for change, our upcoming immigration white paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system.' ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Reports have suggested that the Home Office plans to work with the National Crime Agency to build a model that would help caseworkers identify people who are most likely to use work and study visas to go on to claim asylum, but experts have questioned whether this is realistic or possible. What has the reaction been? Prof Jonathan Portes, a senior fellow at the academic think tank UK in a Changing Europe, told the BBC that the impact of restricting visas would have on the number of asylum applications was "likely to be quite small". "I think the impact here is not designed primarily to be about numbers overall, it's designed to be about reducing asylum claims which are perceived to be abusive," he told Radio 4's Today programme. "When you have someone who comes here ostensibly as a student and then switches quickly to the asylum route... that is an abuse of the system - the government is trying to reduce that." ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, told The Guardian it would be difficult create a model to identify people planning to exploit visa and asylum rules. She told the newspaper: 'Whether it's effective will depend on whether patterns are obvious enough for them to accurately be able to do it, or whether it will lead to some more arbitrary outcomes. Without being on the inside, it really is difficult to know." Labour had previously committed to making changes to the immigration system, but the government will undoubtedly be feeling greater pressure following Reform's success in last week's local elections. Immigration is one of Reform's key talking points, and the party has pledged to implement a freeze on non-essential immigration. 48% of Britons say that immigration is one of the top issues facing the country, the joint-highest level since the election Economy: 52% (-2 from 26-28 Apr) Immigration: 48% (+4) Health: 36% (-1) Crime: 22% (-1) Defence: 20% (-2) Housing: 20% (=) Environment: 15% (-2) Tax: 14%… — YouGov (@YouGov) May 6, 2025 Research by YouGov also suggests that immigration is growing in importance as an issue, becoming increasingly key to voters since 2020 and has now hit its highest level since the election according to YouGov's 'most important issue' tracker. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said the situation faced by many people was complicated. 'In an increasingly volatile world some people on work or study visas may find their lives at risk because the political situation in their home country has changed. It is right that they are protected from harm and given a fair hearing in the asylum system as well as being provided with basic support if they need it," he said. 'To restrict access to seeking asylum based on a person's nationality would not only be unfair but also discriminatory. 'Right, first-time decision-making will ensure refugees are given safety to go on to contribute to communities across the country and those who don't have a right to stay in the UK are removed in an orderly and humane way.' What's happening to the net migration in the UK? In January, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) projected that the UK population could grow by almost five million over the next decade to reach 72.5 million by mid-2032 because of net migration. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement It said the rise from 67.6 million in mid-2022 would be driven almost entirely by net migration, with the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving the country estimated to total 4.9 million over the 10-year period. This is compared to the natural change in population – the difference between births and deaths – projected to be 'around zero'. UK population. See story POLITICS Population. Infographic PA Graphics. An editable version of this graphic is available if required. Please contact graphics@ At the time, shadow home secretary Chris Philp described the projection as 'shocking and unacceptable', adding: 'It can and must be stopped from materialising' as he called for a 'hard, binding legal cap on visas issued each year'. But Keir Starmer ruled out setting an 'arbitrary' cap, with Downing Street instead vowing the government would set out a 'comprehensive plan' to significantly reduce migration. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Despite a projected rise in net migration, figures suggest that migration levels across key visa routes have fallen sharply since late 2023. Migration levels across key visa routes. (IPPR) Figures released last month indicated that the number of migrants applying for key visa routes into the UK had dropped by more than a third in a year. Applications across the worker, study, and family visa categories covered a total of 772,200 people in the year to March 2025, down 37% on the nearly 1.24 million in the previous 12 months, according to the Home Office data. Data published by the Home Office in March suggests that 3.1 million visas were granted in total in 2024, allowing individuals to come to the UK to visit, work, study or join family members. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement It said: "As noted in the Home Office Immigration System Statistics, some asylum seekers claim asylum immediately upon arrival to the UK, while others may have been present in the UK some time prior to making an asylum claim. "Some arrivals on legal visa routes may find during or at the end of their leave that they are unable, or unwilling, to return to their country of origin and therefore claim asylum in the UK." It said that Immigration System Statistics, year ending December 2024 release showed that of the 108,000 people claiming asylum in 2024, just under a third (35,000) had arrived on a small boat without a permission to enter, while slightly more than a third (40,000) had travelled on a visa. In an article published on 6 May, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said the government would have to carry out "a careful balancing act over immigration policy, with different departments pulling in different directions". ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement It said: "This is a familiar challenge: prime ministers have often had to navigate disagreements between the Treasury – as well as other departments in favour of liberalising visa rules to further their own priorities – and the Home Office, which is focused on tightening rules up to manage numbers and prevent abuse." The IPPR said the situation underlines the need for an annual migration plan, to develop a "coordinated cross-government approach to managing trade-offs on migration policy". What are the requirements to emigrate to the UK? There are a number of visas and immigration routes available for people wanting to immigrate and settle in the UK, including business visas, work visas, family-based visas and other visas that target more specific and niche routes to immigration, according to TotalLaw. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement According to the company, the main way of settling in the UK involves applying for one of these long-term visas and eventually applying for permanent settlement, which is also known as 'indefinite leave to remain'. If someone applies for asylum in the UK, a successful claim can result in them being granted refugee status for five years. After that period, they can then apply for indefinite leave to remain. The suggestion is that some people are coming to the UK on specific visas - meaning they would only be able to stay for a specific time - but then applying for asylum as a way of remaining permanently.
The Guardian
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Nigerians, Pakistanis and Sri Lankans face UK student visa crackdown
Nigerians, Pakistanis and Sri Lankans applying to work or study in the UK face Home Office restrictions over suspicions that they are most likely to overstay and claim asylum, Whitehall officials have claimed. The government is working with the National Crime Agency to build models to profile applicants from these countries who are likely to go on to claim asylum. Whether such a scheme would be successful depends on the strength of the models and the intelligence they work with, according to a migration expert. Nearly 10,000 asylum claimants who had arrived in the UK legally on work or study visas were living in taxpayer-funded accommodation, such as hotels, at some point last year. Data disclosed by the Home Office in March showed that of those asylum seekers who had originally entered on a visa but then ended up in government accommodation, the most common nationalities were Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka. The Guardian revealed on Saturday that the government planned to reduce the numbers of UK student visa holders who make asylum claims. Officials will be instructed to use the bank statements submitted by visa holders as part of their assessment when deciding whether to grant them asylum accommodation. According to the Times, the Home Office is attempting to build intelligence to enable caseworkers to spot patterns in the profiles of people who are most likely to abuse work and study visas as a loophole to claim asylum. They have earmarked Pakistani, Nigerian and Sri Lankan visa holders as the most likely to go on to apply for asylum. Officials are working with the NCA to build a model that would reject a visa claim from a person who fits the profile of someone likely to go on to claim asylum. Madeleine Sumption, the director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said it was difficult to assess whether the government and the NCA would be able to create such a model. 'The key question, and one that is hard to assess from the outside, is do they have the information to accurately decide who is likely to claim asylum after they arrive. Because obviously it can be quite difficult. 'Whether it's effective will depend on whether patterns are obvious enough for them to accurately be able to do it, or whether it will lead to some more arbitrary outcomes. Without being on the inside, it really is difficult to know. 'I could imagine scenarios where it could have quite a big impact. I can also imagine scenarios where it actually only affects a relatively small number of people,' she said. Asked if the government's plans could lead to legal challenges on the grounds of discrimination, Sumption said: 'I'm not a lawyer, but the government has a fair amount of discretion on work and study to decide whether someone gets a visa or not when someone's coming from outside of the country. 'There are cases when there are potentially some legal avenues, but broadly speaking the government is allowed to discriminate on many different grounds when granting work and study visas.'
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Care homes told to employ staff in England first to wean them off overseas recruitment
Care homes are to be forced to recruit staff in England first in a foreign visa crackdown. Care providers must prove they have tried to employ a worker already living in the country before attempting to hire someone from overseas, under rules that take effect next month. The change is designed to wean care homes off overseas recruitment and combat exploitation in the sector, the Home Office said, To qualify for a care worker visa, a person must have a certificate of sponsorship from their employer with information about the role they have been offered in the UK. If the sponsor loses their licence the certificate is cancelled and the person has limited time to find a new one or leave the UK. The rule, coming into force on April 9, will require an employer to prioritise recruiting international care workers already in the country who are in need of new sponsorship. The latest figures, published last month, showed the number of visas issued for health and care workers and their families coming to the UK fell from 348,157 in 2023 to 110,833 last year – a decrease of 68 per cent. The drop is likely to reflect changes in legal migration rules introduced since January 2024 by the previous Conservative government, including a ban on overseas care workers bringing family dependants, and a steep rise in the salary threshold for skilled workers to £38,700. Dr Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said that while the rule change might help to address exploitation 'to some extent', enforcement could be difficult. She added: 'One problem workers have faced is that if they lost their job because an exploitative employer did not provide the work they'd promised or was struck off, they often struggled to find a new one. 'This is despite the fact that employers were still recruiting thousands of new care workers to come from overseas. The move to require employers to recruit in-country before hiring from overseas might help to address this problem to some extent. 'That said, these policies can be difficult to enforce so the proof will be in the implementation.' The Observatory said the care worker visa route was, in 2023, 'pretty much the Wild West'. She said that even with more opportunity to find a new job in the sector, care staff on work visas 'will likely continue to be vulnerable to exploitation for other reasons, such as debt and difficulties finding a new job if they continue to be employed in poor conditions but have not officially lost their job'. The Home Office said more than 470 sponsor licences in the care sector had been revoked between July 2022 and December 2024 in a crackdown on abuse and exploitation. More than 39,000 workers had been associated with those sponsors since October 2020. Seema Malhotra, the migration and citizenship minister, said: 'Those who have come to the UK to support our adult care sector should have the opportunity to do so, free from abuse and exploitation. 'We have already taken action to ensure employers are not able to flout the rules with little consequence or exploit international workers for costs they were always supposed to pay. 'We are now going further, requiring employers in England to prioritise recruiting international care workers who are already here and seeking new sponsorship, before recruiting from overseas.' Stephen Kinnock, the care minister, said: 'As we crack down on shameful rogue operators exploiting overseas workers here in the UK, we must do all we can to get the victims back into rewarding careers in adult social care. 'Prioritising care workers who are already in the UK will get people back to work, reducing our reliance on international recruitment, and make sure our social care sector has the care professionals it needs.' The Government said minimum salary thresholds were being updated to reflect the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, ensuring those working on the skilled worker visa, including care workers, are paid a minimum of £12.82 per hour. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
12-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Care homes told to employ staff in England first to wean them off overseas recruitment
Care homes are to be forced to recruit staff in England first in a foreign visa crackdown. Care providers must prove they have tried to employ a worker already living in the country before attempting to hire someone from overseas, under rules that take effect next month. The change is designed to wean care homes off overseas recruitment and combat exploitation in the sector, the Home Office said, To qualify for a care worker visa, a person must have a certificate of sponsorship from their employer with information about the role they have been offered in the UK. If the sponsor loses their licence the certificate is cancelled and the person has limited time to find a new one or leave the UK. The rule, coming into force on April 9, will require an employer to prioritise recruiting international care workers already in the country who are in need of new sponsorship. The latest figures, published last month, showed the number of visas issued for health and care workers and their families coming to the UK fell from 348,157 in 2023 to 110,833 last year – a decrease of 68 per cent. The drop is likely to reflect changes in legal migration rules introduced since January 2024 by the previous Conservative government, including a ban on overseas care workers bringing family dependants, and a steep rise in the salary threshold for skilled workers to £38,700. Enforcement 'could be difficult' Dr Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said that while the rule change might help to address exploitation 'to some extent', enforcement could be difficult. She added: 'One problem workers have faced is that if they lost their job because an exploitative employer did not provide the work they'd promised or was struck off, they often struggled to find a new one. 'This is despite the fact that employers were still recruiting thousands of new care workers to come from overseas. The move to require employers to recruit in-country before hiring from overseas might help to address this problem to some extent. 'That said, these policies can be difficult to enforce so the proof will be in the implementation.' The Observatory said the care worker visa route was, in 2023, 'pretty much the Wild West'. She said that even with more opportunity to find a new job in the sector, care staff on work visas 'will likely continue to be vulnerable to exploitation for other reasons, such as debt and difficulties finding a new job if they continue to be employed in poor conditions but have not officially lost their job'. The Home Office said more than 470 sponsor licences in the care sector had been revoked between July 2022 and December 2024 in a crackdown on abuse and exploitation. More than 39,000 workers had been associated with those sponsors since October 2020. Crackdown on rogue operators Seema Malhotra, the migration and citizenship minister, said: 'Those who have come to the UK to support our adult care sector should have the opportunity to do so, free from abuse and exploitation. 'We have already taken action to ensure employers are not able to flout the rules with little consequence or exploit international workers for costs they were always supposed to pay. 'We are now going further, requiring employers in England to prioritise recruiting international care workers who are already here and seeking new sponsorship, before recruiting from overseas.' Stephen Kinnock, the care minister, said: 'As we crack down on shameful rogue operators exploiting overseas workers here in the UK, we must do all we can to get the victims back into rewarding careers in adult social care. 'Prioritising care workers who are already in the UK will get people back to work, reducing our reliance on international recruitment, and make sure our social care sector has the care professionals it needs.' The Government said minimum salary thresholds were being updated to reflect the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, ensuring those working on the skilled worker visa, including care workers, are paid a minimum of £12.82 per hour.
The Independent
12-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
New estimate ‘shows scale of exploitation on Wild West care visa route'
An estimate suggesting thousands of care workers have come to the UK in recent years under sponsors whose licences were later revoked is said to demonstrate the exploitation in a 'Wild West' system. The Home Office said more than 470 sponsor licences in the care sector had been revoked between July 2022 and December 2024 in a crackdown on abuse and exploitation. More than 39,000 workers were associated with those sponsors since October 2020, the department said. Migrant help charity the Work Rights Centre said the figures are a 'shocking revelation of the scale of fraud and exploitation under the sponsorship system'. At least a quarter of the care workers estimated to have been affected either found alternative employment in the care sector or were not working for the sponsor at the time, the Home Office said. The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford said the care worker visa route was, in 2023, 'pretty much the Wild West'. Its director, Madeleine Sumption, said: 'It is clear that exploitative practices were widespread and involved a substantial number of workers. 'What remains to be seen is the extent to which the situation is better controlled now that the Home Office has cracked down and the numbers of care workers being sponsored is much lower.' The latest figures, published last month, showed the number of visas issued for health and care workers and their families coming to the UK fell from 348,157 in 2023 to 110,833 last year – a decrease of 68%. The drop is likely to reflect changes in legal migration rules introduced since January 2024 by the previous Conservative government, including a ban on overseas care workers bringing family dependants, and a steep rise in the salary threshold for skilled workers to £38,700. To qualify for a care worker visa, a person must have a certificate of sponsorship from their employer with information about the role they have been offered in the UK. If the sponsor loses their licence the certificate is cancelled and the person has limited time to find a new one or leave the UK. The estimate came as the Government announced new rules on care worker recruitment. It said care providers must prove they have tried to hire an international worker already in England who is in need of new sponsorship before attempting to take on someone from overseas, in rules coming in from April 9. The change will help tackle the reliance on overseas recruitment to staff the social care workforce as well as exploitation in the sector, the Home Office said. The department said it is part of work to ensure high standards across the immigration system and support care workers into alternative jobs if their sponsor has had their licence removed. Ms Sumption said that while the rule change might help to address exploitation 'to some extent', enforcement could be difficult. She said: 'These policies can be difficult to enforce so the proof will be in the implementation.' She added that even with more opportunity to find a new job in the sector, care staff on work visas 'will likely continue to be vulnerable to exploitation for other reasons, such as debt and difficulties finding a new job if they continue to be employed in poor conditions but have not officially lost their job'. Dora-Olivia Vicol, chief executive of the Work Rights Centre, said: 'Supporting sponsor rematching is a sticking plaster solution to a crisis of national proportions. 'The Government needs to deliver on the promise to investigate and reform the health and care worker visas.' Unison's head of social care Gavin Edwards said care staff on visas being able to move to another sponsor more easily is 'a positive step, but further measures will be needed given the vulnerability of overseas workers'. He added: 'Ultimately, the Government should remove visa sponsorship from individual employers and implement a sector-wide scheme.' Migration and citizenship minister Seema Malhotra said: 'We have already taken action to ensure employers are not able to flout the rules with little consequence or exploit international workers for costs they were always supposed to pay. 'We are now going further, requiring employers in England to prioritise recruiting international care workers who are already here and seeking new sponsorship, before recruiting from overseas.' Care minister Stephen Kinnock said: 'As we crack down on shameful rogue operators exploiting overseas workers here in the UK, we must do all we can to get the victims back into rewarding careers in adult social care. 'Prioritising care workers who are already in the UK will get people back to work, reducing our reliance on international recruitment, and make sure our social care sector has the care professionals it needs.' The Government said minimum salary thresholds will be updated to reflect the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, ensuring those working on the skilled worker visa, including care workers, are paid a minimum of £12.82 per hour. The Government also announced 'tough new rules' on the short-term student route, designed for people studying an English language course in the UK for between six and 11 months. Amid concerns that the route is being 'abused by those without a genuine intention to study or to leave the UK at the end of their course', the Home Office said expanded powers will be available from April 9 to caseworkers to refuse visa applications which are suspected of not being genuine.
