Home Office Accused of 'Chaos' Following U-Turn on Salary Threshold for Family Visa

The Home Office has reversed its initial decision to immediately increase the salary requirement for UK citizens sponsoring foreign family members to £38,700, instead opting for an interim rise to £29,000. This new amount is higher than the past threshold of £18,600 but lower than the criticized figure and is set to progressively reach the intended £38,700 target, though no specific timeline has been provided.

The sudden policy shift, revealed through a parliamentary answer, was met with criticism from the opposition for the lack of prior discussion. Ministers seem to have partially responded to intense backlash by lowering the immediate increase, previously included in a larger plan to limit legal migration.

The original salary increase was estimated to impact a small number of yearly migrations significantly, potentially separating many families who could not meet the higher income requirement. Reunite Families, an advocacy group, was preparing legal challenges against the policy which has been seen as overly punitive.

The government's new stance allows those currently on a family visa or wishing to renew it to do so under the existing salary requirement. This leniency also applies to children joining or relocating with their parents.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper criticized the government's handling of immigration and the lack of a strategic connection between immigration and workforce planning. Similarly, Alistair Carmichael of the Liberal Democrats questioned the Home Office's management and insisted decisions should be collaborative between experts and politicians.

The previous decision to raise the threshold was part of a broader push to address immigration numbers, which saw a significant uptick primarily due to foreign professionals in healthcare. The plan also included raising the salary threshold for skilled worker visas and eliminating the allowance for in-demand jobs to be filled at below-market rates, which experts cautioned could disrupt vital services and affect long-term economic growth