Migration must be 'properly controlled' says home secretary - as sweeping reforms unveiled

The government is set to roll out sweeping reforms to the immigration system.

The skilled visa threshold will be raised to require a graduate qualification and a higher salary threshold, under plans outlined in an immigration white paper that will be presented in parliament on Monday.

For jobs below this level, access to the immigration system will be "time-limited" and only granted if there are shortages "critical to the industrial strategy".

Strategies to increase domestic skills and recruitment would also need to be drawn up, with a labour market evidence group set to be established to identify sectors "overly reliant on overseas labour".

Under the plans to reduce net migration to the UK, employers will be told that they must train workers in the UK rather than turn to immigration to solve labour shortages.

Net migration - the difference between the number of people immigrating and emigrating to a country - soared when the UK left the EU in January 2020.

It reached 903,000 in the year to June 2023 before falling to 728,000 in mid-2024.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has blamed overseas recruitment for the rise in net migration over the last four years after Labour inherited a "failed" immigration system from the previous government.

"Migration must be properly controlled and managed so the system is fair," Ms Cooper said.

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Ms Cooper added: "Overseas recruitment soared at the same time as big increases in the number of people not working or in education here in the UK.

"The last government lost control of the immigration system and there was no proper plan to tackle skills shortages here at home.

"Under our Plan for Change, we are taking decisive action to restore control and order to the immigration system, raise domestic training and skills, and bring down net migration while promoting economic growth."

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Meanwhile, the Conservatives will try to force a vote in parliament on capping the number of non-visitor visas that can be issued.

The party is trying to amend the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which if accepted would give the government the power to cap visas in line with the country's needs, and allow them to be revoked if the limit is exceeded.

The Tories are also behind a separate amendment to the same bill which would look to disapply the Human Rights Act in asylum and deportation cases.

Responding to the government's white paper, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said "fixing Britain's migration crisis requires a new radical approach. Labour had the opportunity to do this and have failed".

He added: "If Labour were serious about immigration, they'd back our binding immigration cap and back our plan to repeal the entire Human Rights Act from immigration matters. But they have got no grip, no guts and no plan."

:: Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, shadow home secretary Chris Philp and Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice will be among the guests on Sky News' Trevor Phillips on Sunday show from 8.30am today.

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