Stephen Metcalfe, MP for South Basildon & East Thurrock, has welcomed the news that the number of people coming to the UK on the three biggest visa routes is down 24 percent and the number of students bringing dependents is down 80 percent.
The latest immigration statistics show that the number of visas issued by the UK Government is down. This follows a commitment by the Prime Minister earlier in the year to reduce the number of people coming to the UK by 300,000 each year.
In January, the Government removed the right of overseas students to bring family members with them to the UK, increased the minimum salary threshold to £38,700 for a Skilled Worker Visa, and announced major changes to reform the Health and Social Care Visa which was being abused by unscrupulous recruitment agencies.
In the data which covers January through to March, there was an 80 percent fall in student dependents coming to the UK and a 28 percent fall in applicants for the Health and Social Care Visa – despite changes only coming into effect on 11 March.
Stephen Metcalfe said: “There’s no doubt about it that immigration has been too high and I know that the Prime Minister agrees with me that it is unfair when British workers are being undercut in the job market.
These latest figures show progress. The plan is working and I am pleased that the Prime Minister has addressed this issue directly – identifying abuses and closing loopholes in the system.”
