If Rishi Sunak’s Indian wife came to Britain now, there would be no problem. Before his political career, the Prime Minister earned millions as an investment banker. But in contrast to their head of government, tens of thousands of Brits with foreign partners face an uncertain fate.
“Can’t Buy Me Love,” the Beatles once sang. But in Great Britain, love comes through the wallet: Sunak’s conservative government is significantly increasing the mandatory minimum income for family reunification. In the future, an annual income of at least 29,000 pounds will be required, the equivalent of a good 33,000 euros. Previously the threshold was 18,600 pounds – and that was already too high a hurdle for some.
Home Secretary James Cleverly actually wanted to more than double the amount to £38,700, as he had only announced at the beginning of December. It has now been announced that, as a first step, the amount will be increased to 29,000 pounds. This gave those affected more time to prepare, said Interior State Secretary Tom Pursglove.
The measure is part of a package with which the government wants to drastically reduce net immigration. The required annual income for foreign skilled workers is to rise from £26,200 to £38,700 – otherwise they will not be allowed to remain employed or be hired. Business representatives warn that this will put companies under further pressure. But sectors such as education and culture may also find it more difficult to attract foreign skilled workers. This is entirely intentional: the Conservatives promise that Brexit should bring better-paid jobs for Brits. Little of this has been seen so far.
But the numbers have changed enormously. A total of 745,000 people immigrated to the United Kingdom in 2022. That is around three times as many as before Brexit. Since then, EU citizens have stayed away. Thanks to a new system, many people came from Commonwealth countries such as India, especially in sectors with a major shortage of skilled workers such as nursing and health.
The numbers are a thorn in the side of the conservatives. Sunak is therefore under pressure from the Tory right wing. In order to stop irregular migration in small boats across the English Channel, the government has already introduced several strict laws – largely without success. The government is therefore now taking on regular immigration. Interior Minister Cleverly announced that immigration would fall by 300,000 people. A few thousand of them are partners who will no longer be allowed to join in the future.
Critics warn of social explosives. Liberal media have been reporting for weeks on the uncertain fates of couples whose future together is at stake. According to the government, 25 percent of the working population cannot yet afford to have a foreign partner live with them. If the minimum income rises to 38,700 pounds, it increases to 75 percent.
“Everyone feels like the rug has been pulled out from under them,” said Jane Yilmaz of the Reunite Families campaign after the “devastating” announcement in the Guardian newspaper. Many people’s hope of being able to return home with their foreign partner has been dashed. The group announced a lawsuit. The organization The 3 Million, which represents the interests of EU citizens in the UK, spoke of a “blatant attack on families across the country”.
According to critics, the fact that the required amount is now slightly lower than announced makes little difference. But there is also trouble for the Prime Minister in his own camp. The government is showing weakness, but the country is in a crisis due to the high level of immigration, said right-wing conservative Tory MP David Jones. The start of the 2024 election year is likely to be uncomfortable for Rishi Sunak.
