Business Desk 
May 12, 2025
The UK government is due to announce significant overhauls of its immigration system, in reaction to increasing public fears and surging support for the populist Reform UK party.
The reforms will cut the number of overseas workers coming to the UK, particularly focusing on skilled worker visas and gaining control over less-skilled channels.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government is set to publish a new Immigration White Paper that will bring in strict conditions for skilled worker visas.
The White Paper will also place tighter controls on lower-skilled workers. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper highlighted that this represents a "fundamental shift" in bringing immigration policy into line with the nation's domestic skills agenda.
Cooper went on to say that the reforms are likely to result in 50,000 fewer lower-skilled visas by next year.
Moreover, the planned reforms will raise the level of qualifications required for skilled visa applicants, setting the threshold to the graduate level.
The employers of lower-skilled workers will be required to furnish substantial proof of labour shortages and agree to train local workers.
Furthermore, foreign recruitment within the care sector will be subject to increased restrictions, though the care work visas may still be extended in specified situations.
This move comes after a surge in skilled worker visas, which tripled since 2020, when Britain left the European Union. Net migration reached a record high of 906,000 in the year to June 2023, with a significant increase in permanent residency applications and dependents arriving in the UK.
