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A sign is seen at the arrivals passport control area of Terminal 5, at Heathrow Airport, London, Britain, March 23, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville/files
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Britain’s legal migration system will undergo changes after yearly arrivals hit a record high, adding pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to fulfill his promise of reducing them.
Sunak’s spokesperson expressed the prime minister’s concern with the high levels of net migration and the need for significant reduction.
Interior minister James Cleverly is expected to announce further measures to decrease legal migration and prevent system abuse in a parliamentary statement later in the day.
Official data revealed that the annual net migration to the country reached a record 745,000 last year and has remained at elevated levels, prompting Sunak to take action before an upcoming election.
Sunak’s spokesman emphasized the need for a significant reduction in the high numbers of migrants, particularly dependents, who are not contributing substantially to the workforce.
Reporting by Alistair Smout. Editing by Andrew MacAskill and Sarah Young
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