Yvette Cooper is under intense pressure to slash net migration (Image: Getty)
The number of migrants trying to join their loved ones in the UK has ballooned over the past seven years, new analysis has revealed. The Home Office received some 104,600 Family Visa applications last year, up from 63,600 in 2018. But analysis by the Migration Advisory Committee has revealed this cohort typically costs taxpayers more than they put in - making them "fiscally negative".
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper paused a planned increase in the salary threshold, to ￡38,700, for arrivals on the Family Visa route, prompting fears it will lead to an increase in net migration.
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Ministers are considering changes to the Family Visa salary threshold (Image: Getty)
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called on ministers to hike the salary threshold (Image: Getty)
Linking this salary requirement to that of the Skilled Worker Visa, also ￡38,700, could breach European human rights laws, Professor Brian Bell, Chairman of the MAC, warned.
Professor Bell, in a new report to be published today, confirmed increasing the threshold would lead to fewer people moving to the UK – but could hit family lives.
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Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “This report proves what we’ve always said - that raising the salary threshold drives numbers down.
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“It also admits that even for sponsor salaries of up to ￡60,000 the person coming in will cost other UK taxpayers money if they don’t work or only work on low incomes.
“So, Labour must urgently reinstate the Conservative plan to further increase the salary threshold to ￡38,000.
“The report highlights that linking salary thresholds to skilled worker visas could breach the ECHR.
“As Kemi and I said on Friday, if the ECHR stops us from setting our own visa rules, from deporting foreign criminals or from putting Britain’s interests first, then we should leave the ECHR.
“Migration figures remain far too high. It’s time to end ECHR obstruction, raise the salary thresholds, and take back control of who comes into this country.
“This includes a binding annual cap on immigration set by Parliament, but Labour recently voted against doing this. Only the Conservatives have a credible plan.”
Former Home Secretary James Cleverly banned overseas care workers and foreign students from bringing their family members with them to the UK as part of a series of measures to slash record high levels of net migration.
He also increased the salary threshold for skilled workers to ￡38,700.
But Home Secretary Yvette Cooper paused a planned increase in the salary threshold on those hoping to bring their family members to the UK.
This means someone will only need to earn ￡28,000 to bring their families to the UK.
Ms Cooper ordered the MAC to review Mr Cleverly’s proposal swiftly after Labour won power last year.
This is despite fears many arriving on this route effectively cost taxpayers more than they put into the system.
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The MAC report revealed: “The median earnings of main applicants who work is broadly similar to this.
“The median income is approximately ￡21,200 in the fourth year since their visa was issued and this does not appear to increase much over time.
“As a result, a large fraction of main applicants on the Family route are likely to be fiscally negative over their lifetime.
“Overall, given the OBR figures, we would expect the lifetime fiscal impact of the median main applicant to be negative.
“This is because their overall earnings distribution is similar to the low-wage migrant wage, particularly as the employment rates are lower.”
The analysis found a high proportion of applicants for partner visas are women and 90% are under the age of 44.
Pakistan is the largest nationality to use the route applying from outside the country.
The committee's analysis gave some options that a threshold of ￡24,000 to ￡28,000 could give more priority to economic wellbeing, such as reducing the burden to taxpayers, than on family life.
It also suggested a criteria of ￡23,000 to ￡25,000 to ensure families can support themselves but not necessarily require them to earn a salary above minimum wage.
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MAC Chair Professor Brian Bell, said: “We were asked to advise on setting a Minimum Income Requirement for the family migration route in a way that balances economic wellbeing with the right to family life.
“This report does so by outlining several approaches the government could take, along with the strengths and weaknesses of each.
“While the decision on where to set the threshold is ultimately a political one, we have provided evidence on the impacts of financial requirements on families and economic wellbeing, and highlight the key considerations the government should take into account in reaching its decision.”
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