The UK government has announced a substantial increase in visa fees across a range of immigration and nationality routes, including the immigration health surcharge.
The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has framed this increase as necessary to fund a 6% rise in doctor’s wages.
Following a recommended pay rise for public sector workers of between 6% and 6.5% by independent public sector pay review bodies, the government has decided to accept these suggestions – despite previously warning that they would make inflation worse.
Nevertheless, with strikes blighting his premiership since he became Britain’s third prime minister in 2022 last year, Sunak was under pressure to allow some concessions towards public sector workers.
With the next general election likely coming in just over a year, the Conservative Party are currently between a rock and a hard place when it comes to wanting to reduce record migration figures and improving a stagnating economy.
This particular decision to increase immigration fees is likely an attempt to look tougher on immigration, but may risk detracting immigrants who make an invaluable contribution to the UK economy.
