Migrant workers must earn £38k in UK from today

OVERSEAS workers moving to the UK will have to earn at least £38,700 from today.

The dramatic 48% hike, from the previous minimum salary of £26,200, is a bid to curb legal migration to Britain.

Rules that allowed migrants to be paid 20% less than the going rate have also been axed.

The Government aims to cut the number of people legally arriving in Britain for work by 300,000 after net migration – the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving Britain – reached a record 745,000 in 2022.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “It’s time to turn off the taps and end the flow of cheap workers from abroad.

“Mass migration is unsustainable and it’s simply not fair. It undercuts the wages of hard-working people who are just trying to make ends meet.

“We are refocusing our immigration system to prioritise the brightest and best who have the skills our economy needs.

“I promised the British people an immigration system that serves their interests and to bring numbers down– these tough measures deliver on that commitment. Employers must also play their part and put British workers first.”

ONS figures suggest the UK population could reach nearly 74 million by 2036, up from the latest estimate of 67 million, with net migration adding around 6 million.

Last month, changes were introduced to stop foreign care workers bringing relatives to the UK. Care providers must also now register with the Care Quality Commission if they are sponsoring migrants after visa applications were based on jobs that do not exist. Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said: “For too long we have relied on labour from abroad when there is great talent right here in the UK.

“The changes coming into force today. ..will unlock the huge potential of the great British workforce.”