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The UK government has raised the minimum wage threshold from £26,200 (about Rs 27,43,000) to £38,700 (around Rs 40,52,900), marking an almost 50 per cent increase, for individuals seeking employment in the UK.
People who want to work in the UK still have to apply for a skilled worker visa using the points-based system which will allow applicants for a skilled worker visa with 70 points and 50 points will be awarded for having a job offer above a minimum skill level and proficiency in English. The remaining 20 points can be obtained through a higher salary, working in a field with job shortages, or holding a relevant PhD.
The UK Home Office said it marks the final measure in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary James Cleverly’s package to reduce legal migration and “ensure those arriving here do not burden the taxpayer”.
The latest measure is part of a wider package unveiled last year, which the Home Office says will mean approximately 300,000 people arriving in the UK last year would no longer be able to.
The decision faced criticism from the opposition when it was initially presented in the House of Commons in December 2023 which prompted the government to choose a gradual increase in the salary threshold, instead of an immediate raise to GBP 38,700 as initially planned.