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The United Kingdom has recently announced an increase in the minimum income requirements for family visas for migrant workers. Under the new regulations, individuals earning below £29,000 (approximately KSH 4.7 million) per annum will no longer be allowed to bring their dependents or family members to the UK. This decision is part of the UK government’s efforts to curb net migration into the country, which has been at a record level since 2023.
New Income Requirement for UK Family Visas
The UK Home Office published the new income requirements on Thursday, April 11, 2024. The salary threshold for a family visa is expected to increase further to around £38,700 (approximately KSH 6.3 million) by 2025. The government’s rationale behind this decision is to ensure that individuals only bring family members to the UK whom they can financially support. This increase represents a 61% rise from the previous threshold of £18,000 (approximately KSH 2.9 million) and is part of the UK’s broader strategy to reduce migration numbers.
Reasons for the Increase
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that net migration to the UK reached 745,000 in 2022, up from 184,000 in 2019 before the pandemic. The influx of non-EU citizens has also contributed to this increase in migration. The UK Home Office Secretary, James Cleverly, stated that the new income requirements are a fair and firm approach to address the issue. These changes were first announced in December 2023 and are considered the final step in the UK’s efforts to significantly reduce legal migration.
Cleverly emphasized the impact of these measures by stating, “Taken together, the measures we’ve introduced will radically reduce legal migration. 300,000 people who arrived in the UK last year would no longer be eligible to do so under these new rules.”
UK Bars Foreign Students from Bringing in Family
Furthermore, the UK government has implemented legislation to prevent international students from bringing their family members to the country. This law came into effect on January 1, 2024, and prohibits students from using this route to bring dependents. The government’s intention behind this decision is not only to reduce net migration but also to address potential abuse of the system.
