What does a Labour Government mean for UK immigration?

A review of our current points-based system – Labour have committed to linking immigration and skills policy more closely and to placing ‘appropriate restrictions on visas’. Whilst it is not clear what this will mean in practice, upskilling resident workers through the introduction of new training plans / apprenticeship levies and requiring certain sponsors to adhere to workforce plans appears to be their focus. Their plan to reduce net migration therefore seems to involve a greater investment in the local workforce, rather than making it more difficult for employers to sponsor – sectors such as care and education are in particular need of this. However, whether the onus on resident workforce training and the cost burden of this will fall on sponsors or the state is yet to be seen.  

Greater enforcement – Labour have committed to spending the money currently being spent on the Rwanda scheme on immigration enforcement activity instead. They plan to strengthen bans preventing ‘rogue employers’ who breach employment or immigration law from hiring workers from abroad. Sponsors will be aware that compliance with immigration and wider UK law is already a fundamental sponsorship duty that must be complied with. It is, however, expected that an employment rights enforcement body will be implemented to tackle worker exploitation, as well as further visa penalties for those who abuse our immigration system. Labour have further pledged to investigate the exploitation of overseas workers in the care sector.

Salary requirements – Labour intend to commission the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the impact of the April 2024 salary increases under the Skilled Worker route. Although we currently don’t have any reassurances for employers impacted by these recent increases, it will be interesting to see if the MAC review suggests that a sector or regional based policy, rather than a blanket increase, would be a more effective system. Labour have also not yet confirmed whether they will proceed with the Conservatives’ plan of further hiking the minimum income requirement under the family routes to £38,700 by ‘early 2025’.