The UK government is planning to make the visa regulations strict for foreign IT, telecom as well as engineering professionals. This new policy comes with an objective to address high migration levels and could have significant repercussions for thousands of Indian professionals currently filling crucial roles in these sectors in the UK.
According to sources, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has asked the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the heavy reliance on international recruitment in IT, telecom, and engineering sectors.
In a letter to MAC Chair Brian Bell, Cooper showcased these sectors are among the top 10 in terms of their dependence on foreign talent.
The persistent lack of skilled workers in the United Kingdom’s labor market is the impetus behind this dependence. policies such as increasing the minimum pay threshold for foreign workers or implementing regional recruiting limitations are two examples of potential policies that might be considered during the assessment.
Cooper also requested the MAC to study the underlying reasons of labor shortages and evaluate different measures that these industries have tried to solve the problem in addition to foreign recruiting.
The MAC’s findings on this review are anticipated in nine months. Ganapati Bhat, an IT consultant from Bengaluru working in the UK since 2007, commented on the situation, stating, “There is no need to change the policy around this just because there is noise around immigration. We can hardly fulfill the vacancies in Britain as salaries for some of these jobs are not that great compared to India and the US when you take into account the cost of living.”
On the other hand, in August, the UK government also delayed the planned increase in the minimum income requirement for British nationals and permanent residents wishing to bring family members to the UK.
This suspension, which will keep the barrier at its present level of GBP 29,000 while the MAC conducts an investigation into the effect it has on families, was confirmed by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
As a result of the fact that Indians were the second-highest sponsors of family visas in 2023, this decision is especially pertinent for Indian families. Cooper underlined the significance of striking a balance between the well-being of the UK’s economy and the life of a family.