Rishi Sunak is set to snub demands from Conservative MPs to launch a fresh visa crackdown to bring down record high net migration, i has learnt.
The Prime Minister is set to reject calls for a fresh crackdown before the next election, despite a group of 20 backbenchers on Monday launching the New Conservatives with a list of 12 demands to get net immigration down from 606,000 to below the 2019 level of 226,000.
It comes as migrant crossings have set a new record for the month of June, pushing the total for the year so far to more than 11,000. In the first six months of 2023, 11,434 people were detected making the journey from France, according to provisional government figures.
The new faction of 2017 and 2019 intake MPs, including many so-called “Red Wall” Tories, called for an end to the care workers visa, a higher minimum salary for skilled workers, and a toughening up of the rules around students.
However, Whitehall sources indicated to i that the matter is viewed as now being settled within the Cabinet after months of negotiations led to a crackdown on international students bringing family members to the UK – unless they are on PhD sources – being announced in May by Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
That policy was decided upon after extensive talks between the Prime Minister, Home Secretary, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan and Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch.
It is viewed in Whitehall as the settled consensus position as the ministers’ departments have to balance competing demands of cutting immigration and supporting economic growth, university finances and the jobs market.
The crackdown on students’ dependents will kick in next January and is expected to have a significant impact by cutting net immigration by 100,000, and therefore ministers believe it is unlikely that the rules around visas will be revisited before the next election.
Downing Street rejected some of the New Conservative demands, including removing care workers from the shortage occupation list or scrapping the ability of overseas graduates to stay in the UK for a certain time after their degree is finished. By Arj Singh , The I
