Reforms prohibiting care workers from bringing family members (dependents) are now in effect. Under new visa regulations that go into effect this week, care workers, including Indians, will be barred from bringing dependent family members to the UK.

Last year, the UK Home Office reported that 120,000 dependents accompanied 100,000 workers on care visas. This restriction is expected to significantly reduce net migration to the UK while also addressing visa abuse in order to reduce 'unsustainable' levels of legal migration. Under the new laws, care providers who sponsor migrants must register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the industry regulator for Health and Social Care. The government believes that this action will reduce worker exploitation and abuse in the sector.

UK Home Secretary James Cleverly stated, "Care workers make an incredible contribution to our society by looking for our loved ones in times of need. But we cannot explain inaction in the face of obvious abuse, manipulation of our immigration system, and unsustainable migration rates."

According to the government's official website, 'If you're a care worker or senior care worker, your partner and children cannot apply to join you or stay in the UK as your dependants unless you were employed as a care worker or senior care worker in the UK and on a Health and Care Worker visa before 11 March 2024 and one of the following is true:

1. You are currently on a Health and Care Worker visa. 2. You are extending your Health and Care Worker visa through your present employer. 3. You are transferring jobs within the same occupational code while on a Health and Care Worker visa.

The Shortage Occupation List (SOL) will be removed as part of additional UK government reforms. It will be replaced by a new Immigration Salary List on April 4. The government has been clear that roles should only be included if they are competent and in short supply, and that no industry should be completely reliant on immigration. The government thinks that this strong approach will prioritise the most brilliant and highly skilled people from abroad who will add value and significantly contribute to the UK economy's growth, while also encouraging firms to invest in training, upskilling, and recruiting domestic workers. Starting April 4, the minimum wage necessary for those arriving on the Skilled Worker visa will rise from £26,200 to £38,700. This is a 48 percent rise. The minimum income criteria for family visas will also increase, starting at £29,000 on April 11, 2024. By early 2025, this figure will have risen to £38,700, ensuring that dependents brought to the UK get financial support.

UK visa exploitation is also frequent in the student visa arena. Indian nationals are among the largest groups of students awarded a UK student visa, accounting for 43% of all visas issued last year. This visa will allow them to stay and obtain work experience for at least two years after they complete their degree. A reassessment of the post-study route followed changes to student visas that took effect at the beginning of January 2024, thereby removing the ability of nearly all post-graduate students to bring dependents to the UK.

Immigration figures provided by the UK Home Office in September 2023 show that Indian skilled workers, medical professionals, and students continue to hold a strong position in the country's immigration landscape. They discovered that Indian nationals dominated not only the Skilled Worker visa path but also the Health and Care Visa route.

Visas for Skilled Workers increased by 9%, with Indian nationals leading the charge. Notably, 'Skilled Worker - Health and Care' visas experienced a significant jump, more than doubling with a 135% increase to 143,990 grants. The highest increases in this visa were noted among Indian, Nigerian, and Zimbabwean nationals.