UK Government Eases Visa Restrictions for Builders, Carpenters, and Fishing Industry Workers

The move comes as the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) advised adding builders to the Shortage Occupation List, which temporarily eases visa restrictions in areas where employers are struggling to fill vacancies.

The list now includes bricklayers and masons, roofers, roof tilers and slaters, carpenters and joiners, and a variety of other workers in the construction and building trades, as well as plasterers.

The move has been welcomed by some, such as Conservative MP Marco Longhi, who described the government announcement as "nuts," adding that "this country's addiction to immigration as a fix-all has to stop." However, others have pointed out that the move is in line with the Conservative manifesto at the 2019 general election, which committed to getting immigration numbers down, without setting a specific target.

The Home Office has also added jobs in the fishing trade to the list, alongside connected "elementary agriculture occupations," as part of a wider reform on the fishing industry, which includes a £100m UK Seafood Fund.

People on the shortage occupation list can apply for a skilled worker visa to work in the UK.

Those working in a shortage occupation pay lower visa fees and can be paid 80% of the job's usual rate and still qualify for a visa.

The shortage list is reviewed every six months, with another review expected by the autumn.

The move is also in line with the government's focus on training British nationals in labour shortage areas to reduce immigration, as called for by Home Secretary Suella Braverman in a speech in May.

It is important to note that while the move may not have a significant impact on overall migration figures, it is based on whether an occupation makes up more than 0.5% of the sector workforce and earned below the current general threshold for migrants, which stands at £26,200.

The MAC also considered the "strategic importance of construction for the UK economy" and how its workforce was likely to change in the next decade, with "demand likely to increase markedly." A group of UK lawmakers has proposed a new immigration policy that would only grant visas to foreign workers earning more than £38,000 per year.

The proposal, which was presented in a report by the Migration Advisory Committee, would raise the minimum salary threshold for skilled worker visas from the current level of £26,200.

The committee argues that the proposed salary threshold would help to reduce the number of low-skilled workers entering the UK and increase the number of high-skilled workers.

The report also states that the increase in salary threshold would not affect the overall number of visas granted, as it would be offset by a decrease in the number of applicants who currently meet the lower £20,960 threshold for shortage occupations.

The proposed salary threshold is significantly higher than the current minimum salary requirement for skilled worker visas, which is £26,200.

However, some argue that this threshold is too high and would exclude many skilled workers who are essential to the UK economy.

The report by the Migration Advisory Committee is just a proposal and will be considered by the UK government.

It is expected to be a significant factor in the development of the government's future immigration policy.

The UK government has already signaled that it is considering a new immigration system that would prioritize high-skilled workers.

In conclusion, the proposal to raise the minimum salary threshold for skilled worker visas to £38,000 per year is a significant development in the UK's immigration policy.

It remains to be seen whether the proposal will be adopted, but it is clear that the UK government is taking steps to ensure that the immigration system is aligned with the needs of the economy.