Government to announce crackdown on legal migration, Sky News understands
by 0 
The government will announce a package of measures today aimed at cracking down on record levels of legal migration, Sky News understands.
It is thought Home Secretary James Cleverly will announce the scaling back of health and social care visas and an overhaul of the shortage occupation list in a Commons statement.
There will also be a change in the minimum salary threshold for skilled worker visas.
It is believed it will be increased from £26,200 to a figure over the £35,000 which Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick had been pushing for.
Rishi Sunak faced a backlash from senior members of his own party after new figures revealed migration is at an all-time high – despite a Conservative 2019 manifesto pledge to bring numbers down.
Revised estimates from the ONS put net migration to the UK in the year to December 2022 at a record-breaking 745,000.
The prime minister has since said the figures are “too high” and hinted he would take action to address it – but he has stopped short of saying what those measures could look like.
It is understood he came under pressure in particular from Mr Jenrick, who proposed a five-point plan involving a cap on the number of health and social visas and a rise in the minimum salary threshold.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
