UK Immigration Hurdles Impact Families Amid Migration Clampdown
UK citizens aiming to bring foreign partners to the country are facing steep challenges due to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's new immigration policies. Rebecca Kaya and her Kurdish husband, having met the savings goal for a British visa, were blindsided when Sunak significantly raised the income requirements for sponsorship.
Sunak's measures follow reports of record-high net migration into Britain, totaling 745,000 in 2022, leading to various strategies to curb the influx, including a controversial plan to send illegal arrivals to Rwanda. The salary threshold for sponsoring a spouse's visa has more than doubled to £38,700, affecting nearly 70% of British workers who don't earn enough to meet this criterion in 2023.
The Kayas had invested £62,500 in a UK account to secure a visa, but now anticipate a rise in the savings threshold. With the government's new policy effective in April and a lack of clear guidance, even those in the country may face uncertain futures upon visa renewals.
Praxis, a migrants' charity, finds the policy shift starkly at odds with family values. Paige Ballmi, for example, is concerned that her husband, a self-employed carpenter from Albania, may have to leave if they can't satisfy the new income requirement, disrupting their family life.
While some back Sunak's strict migration stance, others worry about its economic impact and the inherent unfairness. Critics argue that the new spouse visa rules might even discourage skilled workers from staying in Britain. Alexandra Kimmons, who works in the non-profit sector, now faces tough choices, such as seeking family aid or moving to the U.S., as her income doesn't reach the new threshold to bring her husband to the UK.
The government asserts that the policies won't apply retrospectively, but many details, including those concerning visa renewals, remain uncertain.
The Kayas had invested £62,500 in a UK account to secure a visa, but now anticipate a rise in the savings threshold. With the government's new policy effective in April and a lack of clear guidance, even those in the country may face uncertain futures upon visa renewals.
Praxis, a migrants' charity, finds the policy shift starkly at odds with family values. Paige Ballmi, for example, is concerned that her husband, a self-employed carpenter from Albania, may have to leave if they can't satisfy the new income requirement, disrupting their family life.
While some back Sunak's strict migration stance, others worry about its economic impact and the inherent unfairness. Critics argue that the new spouse visa rules might even discourage skilled workers from staying in Britain. Alexandra Kimmons, who works in the non-profit sector, now faces tough choices, such as seeking family aid or moving to the U.S., as her income doesn't reach the new threshold to bring her husband to the UK.
The government asserts that the policies won't apply retrospectively, but many details, including those concerning visa renewals, remain uncertain.
