Visa workers no longer need £40,000 to bring their families into the UK

The Labour government is reviewing the previous Conservative plan to raise the minimum income requirement for British workers seeking to bring their families to the UK. The threshold, originally set at £18,600, was scheduled to increase to £38,700 by 2025 as part of the Conservatives’ strategy to reduce net migration by 300,000 annually.

However, the current government, in line with recommendations from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), is reassessing the appropriate income level for family visas to create a fairer system. This review may result in the scrapping of the planned increases, which have faced criticism for potentially separating families.

Campaign groups like Reunite Families have welcomed the review, stating that the current and proposed thresholds have placed undue hardship on many families. The MAC is expected to report back in nine months.