Potential reduction in Minimum Income Requirement increase from £38700 to £29000

[secret.simon]

As I expected, it seems that the government has rowed back on increasing the Minimum Income Requirement and will only increase it to £29,000. It still states that it expects to align it with the Skilled Worker threshold of £38,700.

e. Family (i) – Increasing the Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) on the family migration route to align with the standard Skilled Worker general threshold of £38,700 with an initial increase to the 25th percentile of RQF3 jobs of £29,000.

Credit to Matt Dathan, Home Office Editor of the Times for spotting this.

[AmazonianX]

This is not much of a surprise. Basis for £38,700 was not tenable, where they pulled out the figure from only they know and even if you say median reasonable thing will be for it to be a fraction below the median.
Panic causing measures. Since Brexit is done, it's immigration that is for riling and whipping up emotions for election.

[alterhase58]

Interesting, did the Home Secretary or even the Prime Minister announce this generous concession?
On BBC news it was mentioned as a reduction "for Britons' wanting to bring in foreign family members ...." !
Just being cynical, if the increase only hit those on ILR there wouldn't be a climbdown.

[vinny]

They are ignoring the MAC’s concerns?

[AmazonianX]

They are ignoring the MAC’s concerns?

Maybe they are literally taking the "A" in MAC as just that.

[vinny]

Conversely, it’s a pity that they didn’t ignore the disastrous “advisory” Referendum.

[blondesafari]

This is on the Home Office’s X feed this morning.

IMG_4553.jpeg (326.35 KiB) Viewed 3524 times

[FXR_1340]

From £18,600 to £38,700 to £29,000!

Yet another fiasco Made in Westminster by the Tories.

I guess they can do what they want before next GE as they are not likely to form the next Govt. Of course, they could save their blushes by calling a GE in the next few weeks and months thus saving themselves the need to bring this to Parliament.

Curious!

This policy is undoubtedly inflationery, either because workers are not available thus driving demand and prices or because of the clamour to secure an income to support a family?

[FXR_1340]

Conversely, it’s a pity that they didn’t ignore the disastrous “advisory” Referendum.

Indeed! 2 interesting articles from the archives. Thank you.

[Frontier Mole]

Notably the skilled worker dependent visa earning threshold has not been changed as it hides behind the new threshold salary requirement.

[secret.simon]

Some more details of the increase buried in the Fact sheet on net migration measures – further detail, which was published two days ago on the 21st, but I only just spotted.

An interesting detail that got lost in the noise of the debate about the increase is that there will no longer be a separate calculation for children to be sponsored. That is to say that the £29000 requirement will cover both the spouse and all dependent children of the British citizen/settled person.

There will no longer be a separate child element to the minimum income requirement, to ensure that British nationals are not treated less favourably than migrants who are required to meet the General Skilled Worker threshold as a flat rate, regardless of any children being sponsored.

Anybody already on a spousal visa or on a fiance visa that leads to a spousal visa will be assessed under the existing threshold requirements. That will include additional calculations for children.
Anybody switching from another route to the spousal route within the UK will need to meet the new requirements when they come into force.

Family migration minimum income.

• Those who already have a family visa within the five-year partner route, or who apply before the minimum income threshold is raised, will continue to have their applications assessed against the current income requirement and will not be required to meet the increased threshold. This will also be the case for children seeking to join or accompany parents.

• Anyone granted a fianc(é)e visa before the minimum income threshold is raised will also be assessed against the current income requirement when they apply for a family visa within the five-year partner route.

• Those already in the UK on a different route who apply to switch into the five-year partner route, after the minimum income requirement has been increased, will be subject to the new income requirement

.

While the factsheet states that the new rules for Skilled Workers will be brought into force in April, I suspect that the same will also apply for the rules on family migration. Traditionally (but not always) such changes would coincide with the new tax year on 6th April, so I would assume that date. But note that this is just my assumption.

[FXR_1340]

The more I look in to the Stats surrounding this issue, the more I confirm my suspicions that this is the Tory Party Right Wing driving it.

"By June 2023, 75,717 family-related visas were granted, which is a substantial 110% jump from 2022. These figures are primarily driven by visas granted to partners, constituting 80% of the total family-related visas. "

Source:

third party weblink removed by moderator

I am assuming this figure includes Spouse Visas.

Whilst the 110% increase is sizeable, my assumption being accurate means reduction in these numbers are not gonna impact the Immigration figures that much.

[arshah]

HI , i am british cityzen , my wifes ILR due after15 th aprail 2024 on 5 year spouce visa route..

Any confirmatuon about threshold , its. So confusing for me.
Pleaee update me as if anytging is confirmed.

THANK YOU.

[Casa]

HI , i am british cityzen , my wifes ILR due after15 th aprail 2024 on 5 year spouce visa route..

Any confirmatuon about threshold , its. So confusing for me.
Pleaee update me as if anytging is confirmed.

THANK YOU.

The Government has stated officially that the new income threshold won't apply to those already in the UK on the family settlement route. The income level will remain the same @ £18,600 p.a

[arshah]

Thank you casa.

But has it confirmed on home office website??? as government keep changing their stand on immigration polycies.


I am assuming that if i have to show £29000 once they implement new rule from spring.

[Casa]

Thank you casa.

But has it confirmed on home office website??? as government keep changing their stand on immigration polycies.


I am assuming that if i have to show £29000 once they implement new rule from spring.

Published by the Home Office, as posted earlier in this topic by fellow moderator @secret.simon

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fact ... her-detail

The applicable paragraph:
"Family migration minimum income.
Those who already have a family visa within the five-year partner route, or who apply before the minimum income threshold is raised, will continue to have their applications assessed against the current income requirement and will not be required to meet the increased threshold. This will also be the case for children seeking to join or accompany parents."

[Trin1121]

What's the latest thinking on the potential hikes for the "Cash Savings" route requirements, as opposed to all the brouhaha over the increases for the annual income route's requirements? I find it....very disconcerting that they have blurted all of this out and completely ignored issuing any sort of guidance for people who may be planning on relying on cash savings as opposed to yearly income.

[alterhase58]

Just being cynical they probably haven’t started re-write. First priority was to get it out to the electorate before Christmas!

[Frontier Mole]

No need to be cynical when that is exactly the case. There are a number of points / concerns and obvious issues that still need to be addressed. The cash savings amount - could go north of £100k, the dependent threshold salary requirement for SKW routes - is it await until they earn the threshold or purely based on salary on COS, the impact of no additional salary for children and does that apply across SKW and family routes, can there be a best of option for those on the current route to bring in their kids.

There are substantial areas to deal with and it is being brought into being in a short timescale.

[Trin1121]

What confuses me is the complete lack of preparation or forethought with the new policies. Namely:

1. Why they decided to lump family visas in and along with skilled worker visas. The two are not identical and nowhere near the same. In general, family visa recipients will have FAR more resources, connections and extended family members assisting them with immigrating to the UK than a skilled worker with potentially NO other ties - either socially OR economically - to the UK

2. Why they seem to know very little about their own policies, including the fact that they MUST issue guidance based on the cash savings route along with the MIR guidelines.

3. The 6-month policy is particularly onerous, and I believe they are announcing this policy change in such a haphazard and last-minute way purely because they know it will prevent the VAST majority of LEGAL family migration. Requiring that income and/or savings are held/established for a MINIMUM of six months PRIOR to application for a visa effectively locks everybody out of actually DOING anything about their situation, because by the time you have your assets in place for six months, you have already missed the gate for the affordable MIR. Not only THAT, but once the MIR hike goes into effect, you are reset and no longer qualify, and by the time you scrape together JUST enough to qualify for the new amount, it will very likely be going up AGAIN. So you have missed gate #2, and - in what will very likely be early 2025 - you will be effectively locked out for eternity unless you are independently wealthy or a PHD earning ~100k/year.

When do parliament reconvene after the Christmas/New Year break? Does anybody know when they are actually going to take up these proposed changes and debate them?

[secret.simon]

When do parliament reconvene after the Christmas/New Year break? Does anybody know when they are actually going to take up these proposed changes and debate them?

The Commons sits again on 8th January and the Lords on 10th January (find your MP) I have covered the parliamentary procedure for this change before in an earlier post.

2. Why they seem to know very little about their own policies, including the fact that they MUST issue guidance based on the cash savings route along with the MIR guidelines.

They do know that. Which is why the policy announcement was on 4th December, but the policy is expected to come into force only in the spring of 2024, now narrowed down to April 2024.

The government made the policy decision and announcement and now the civil servants and lawyers will write out the Immigration Rules and guidance to implement the policy. Those four months in between are for the writing of the Rules and guidance.

If the Rules and guidance were ready to go, the government could have brought in the changes in December itself.

It is possible (I am guessing, not certain) that the government made the announcement this early so that it would take effect even in case of a surprise early general election. Policies and Statutory Instruments need to have been announced/introduced for a certain amount of time before the dissolution or prorogation of Parliament. The prorogation and State Opening of Parliament is what led to the delay in the implementation of the increase in the Immigration Health Surcharge.

I believe they are announcing this policy change in such a haphazard and last-minute way purely because they know it will prevent the VAST majority of LEGAL family migration.

That is almost certainly its intent. I recall seeing a graph on a news program that about a third of the increase in legal migration last year was family migration. That is a large chunk that can be addressed by a single policy. So, yes, I think you are correct.

It is unlikely that it will be going up again, outside the stepped increases already announced. Note that this is the first ever increase in the MIR since it was introduced 11 years ago. So increases are not that frequent.

Also, there will be a general election this year, which may lead to a change in government that may decide to pause or cancel the increases.

It is worth remembering that Commonwealth citizens resident in the UK on a non-visit visa (which includes family migrants) can vote in UK general elections.

EDIT: Petition to Parliament to cancel increase the income requirement for family visas to £38,700

Note that even if the petition reaches 100,000, the petition may be debated in the House of Commons, but only on a Take Note motion (i.e. it will not force the government to change tack, but will give MPs an opportunity to express their opinions).

[secret.simon]

As expected, the Delegated Legislation Committee approved the Statutory Instrument (without dissent). It will likely be formally approved by the House either tomorrow or Monday and the increase will take effect 21 days after the approval (technically, 21 days after it is signed by the minister, so there may be a couple of days delay there).

Hansard of the Delegated Legislation Committee debate

Video of the Delegated Legislation Committee debate

Note that the Hansard has the minister saying (at 5:24PM) "what I think is an indication from the Opposition that they will support this change to the level of the surcharge.". So I would not expect a reversal or reduction under a Labour government.

EDIT: The formal approval of the Statutory Instrument (SI) is scheduled for Monday, 15th Jan. If there are any objections (very unlikely), the deferred division will be on Wednesday, 17th Jan.
The SI will be made either that same day or the following day, which will start the 21 day clock on it coming into force.

[FXR_1340]

What confuses me is the complete lack of preparation or forethought with the new policies. Namely:

1. Why they decided to lump family visas in and along with skilled worker visas. The two are not identical and nowhere near the same. In general, family visa recipients will have FAR more resources, connections and extended family members assisting them with immigrating to the UK than a skilled worker with potentially NO other ties - either socially OR economically - to the UK

2. Why they seem to know very little about their own policies, including the fact that they MUST issue guidance based on the cash savings route along with the MIR guidelines.

3. The 6-month policy is particularly onerous, and I believe they are announcing this policy change in such a haphazard and last-minute way purely because they know it will prevent the VAST majority of LEGAL family migration. Requiring that income and/or savings are held/established for a MINIMUM of six months PRIOR to application for a visa effectively locks everybody out of actually DOING anything about their situation, because by the time you have your assets in place for six months, you have already missed the gate for the affordable MIR. Not only THAT, but once the MIR hike goes into effect, you are reset and no longer qualify, and by the time you scrape together JUST enough to qualify for the new amount, it will very likely be going up AGAIN. So you have missed gate #2, and - in what will very likely be early 2025 - you will be effectively locked out for eternity unless you are independently wealthy or a PHD earning ~100k/year.

When do parliament reconvene after the Christmas/New Year break? Does anybody know when they are actually going to take up these proposed changes and debate them?

Only a dispicable Government would bring forward such legislation that directly impacts its own Citizens!

I was born in Scotland and moved to USA with my American wife. I had a job offer in Scotland (was suppose to start Jan 15) which was considerably short of the MIR (38700 or 29000) as a result I had to turn down the job offer (it would take about 6 years to acheive the £29K).

SHAME ON THIS UK GOVT!

I was always of the view that I would retain my UK Passport. Now I'm not so sure.

SHAME ON THEM!!

[FXR_1340]

The more I look in to the Stats surrounding this issue, the more I confirm my suspicions that this is the Tory Party Right Wing driving it.

"By June 2023, 75,717 family-related visas were granted, which is a substantial 110% jump from 2022. These figures are primarily driven by visas granted to partners, constituting 80% of the total family-related visas. "

Source:

third party weblink removed by moderator

I am assuming this figure includes Spouse Visas.

Whilst the 110% increase is sizeable, my assumption being accurate means reduction in these numbers are not gonna impact the Immigration figures that much.

Apologies for including this link.

[FXR_1340]

What confuses me is the complete lack of preparation or forethought with the new policies. Namely:

1. Why they decided to lump family visas in and along with skilled worker visas. The two are not identical and nowhere near the same. In general, family visa recipients will have FAR more resources, connections and extended family members assisting them with immigrating to the UK than a skilled worker with potentially NO other ties - either socially OR economically - to the UK

2. Why they seem to know very little about their own policies, including the fact that they MUST issue guidance based on the cash savings route along with the MIR guidelines.

3. The 6-month policy is particularly onerous, and I believe they are announcing this policy change in such a haphazard and last-minute way purely because they know it will prevent the VAST majority of LEGAL family migration. Requiring that income and/or savings are held/established for a MINIMUM of six months PRIOR to application for a visa effectively locks everybody out of actually DOING anything about their situation, because by the time you have your assets in place for six months, you have already missed the gate for the affordable MIR. Not only THAT, but once the MIR hike goes into effect, you are reset and no longer qualify, and by the time you scrape together JUST enough to qualify for the new amount, it will very likely be going up AGAIN. So you have missed gate #2, and - in what will very likely be early 2025 - you will be effectively locked out for eternity unless you are independently wealthy or a PHD earning ~100k/year.

When do parliament reconvene after the Christmas/New Year break? Does anybody know when they are actually going to take up these proposed changes and debate them?

Only a dispicable Government would bring forward such legislation that directly impacts its own Citizens!

I was born in Scotland and moved to USA with my American wife. I had a job offer in Scotland (was suppose to start Jan 15) which was considerably short of the MIR (38700 or 29000) as a result I had to turn down the job offer (it would take about 6 years to acheive the £29K).

SHAME ON THIS UK GOVT!

I was always of the view that I would retain my UK Passport. Now I'm not so sure.

SHAME ON THEM!!

I guess I am officially an Emmigrant Exile. Exiled from my own country.