The UK government has revealed its plan to reform the immigration system, including higher skills standards for graduates and workers.
The immigration white paper, published today (12 May), outlines new requirements for employers to increase domestic training, which the government hopes will end the reliance on international recruitment.
Titled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, the 82-page white paper sets out key policies, including raising the skilled worker threshold.
The level for skilled workers will be lifted back to RQF 6 (graduate level) and above, while salary thresholds will also be raised.
In addition, the immigration salary list, which gives people discounts from salary thresholds, will be abolished. Construction roles on the list included bricklayers, stonemasons, roofers, and carpenters.
Long-term shortages
Demand for skilled labour in construction continues to grow as the government invests in major infrastructure projects alongside its commitment to build 1.5 million new homes by 2029.
According to the CSN Industry Outlook 2024-2028, 251,500 additional construction workers will be needed in the UK by 2028 to meet demand.
Under the government’s new reforms, access to the points-based immigration system will be limited to occupations where:
- There have been long-term shortages
- The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has advised it is justified
- There is a workforce strategy in place
- Employers seeking to recruit from abroad are committed to playing their part in increasing recruitment from the domestic workforce
A statement from the Home Office said: “New requirements on employers to boost domestic training will end the reliance on international recruitment, restoring order to a failed system that saw net migration quadruple between 2019 and 2023.”
It added: “[The new measures] will reshape our immigration system towards those who contribute most to economic growth.”
Call for collaboration
Commenting on the reforms, Louise Haycock, partner at global immigration law firm Fragomen, said the government’s success in rebalancing immigration policy will depend on how “proportionate and practical” the changes are in their implementation.
“While the intention to reduce reliance on overseas labour is understandable, it’s vital that employers continue to have timely access to the skills that support growth, particularly in critical sectors,” Haycock added.
“Tying migration more directly to skills and employment policy makes strategic sense – but it must be done in collaboration with business, not at its expense. Employers have consistently engaged with government in good faith. They will now need clarity on what constitutes sufficient domestic recruitment effort, and how compliance will be judged.”
Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist at BCIS, said the government’s workforce decisions should be grounded in long-term strategy, “not short-term political pressure”.
“If the government is serious about delivering 1.5 million homes and boosting national infrastructure delivery, they must seek both short-term and long-term solutions.
“Yes, we need to invest in training and apprenticeships, encourage more direct employment and rebuild the domestic skills base for the long-term; but that takes time.
“In the meantime, it is critical that we can access migrant workers where there’s a clear economic need, or else risk stalling growth and delivery even further.
“Without transitional measures, tightening migration rules could increase costs, delay projects, and make it even harder to meet ambitious targets.”
