UK unveils tough new rules designed to cut immigrant numbers

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The British government has announced tough new immigration rules it says will reduce the number of people able to move to the U.K. each year by hundreds of thousands. Home Secretary James Cleverly said he was taking “robust action” to lower authorized immigration. It hit a record level of almost 750,000 people in 2022. Under the new rules, immigrants will have to earn more to get a work visa and will find it harder to bring family members to the U.K. Prospective immigrants will have to earn 38,700 pounds ($48,900) to get a skilled worker visa, up from 26,200 pounds ($33,000). Critics say the moves announced Monday will leave overstretched health and social care sectors at a breaking point.