Migration Advisory Committee urges overhaul of Skilled Worker salary thresholds
Government advisers say scrap PhD salary discounts on UK work visas
Migrant care workers descend on Westminster to protest visa rule tightening
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MAC highlights family-route fiscal cost and English-language gaps in wide-ranging annual review
The MAC’s 2025 Annual Report flags the long-term fiscal deficit associated with many Family Partner visas and calls for stronger English-language policies to boost labour-market outcomes. Employers could see tougher language requirements and greater focus on spousal integration in future immigration changes.
Home Office hikes Immigration Skills Charge by 32 % from today
From 16 December 2025 the UK Immigration Skills Charge rises by 32 %. Sponsors now pay £1,320 per skilled worker per year (or £480 for small/charitable sponsors), adding up to £1,600 to a typical five-year visa. The steep increase will raise employer costs, requiring immediate budget reviews and prompting some companies to accelerate or rethink recruitment plans.
UK set to rejoin Erasmus+ in 2027, paving way for wider youth-mobility deal
The UK and EU have reached a near-final agreement for Britain to rejoin the Erasmus+ exchange scheme from academic year 2027/28, with talks also advancing on a separate youth-mobility visa allowing young people to live and work across the Channel. The move will widen talent pipelines and could ease future junior assignments between the UK and Europe.
Commons committee grills ministers on UK–France ‘Dangerous Journeys’ border treaty
MPs took evidence on 16 December regarding the UK–France ‘Dangerous Journeys’ Treaty, which commits £130 million to joint efforts to stop small-boat Channel crossings. Outcomes could influence freight and passenger-flow reliability at Dover and Eurotunnel, so companies with EU supply chains should track the treaty’s ratification and operational roll-out.