Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe has accused the Government of making it easier for businesses to recruit foreign workers after a change to skilled worker visa salary requirements emerged in the small print of Chancellor John Healey's Budget. Mr Lowe claimed the move had been "stashed away on page 118" of the Budget documents, arguing that ministers should be training British workers rather than lowering barriers to overseas recruitment.
Visa salary thresholds to fall from median to 25th percentile
Under the plans, occupation-specific minimum salary thresholds for skilled worker visas will be reduced from the median wage for a particular job to the 25th percentile from spring 2027. The change follows recommendations from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) and is intended to make visa requirements better reflect labour market conditions across different parts of the UK.
In a post on X, Mr Lowe wrote: "Look at this, stashed away on page 118 of the budget... The Government is implementing visa salary requirement changes from spring 2027 that will reduce 'occupation-specific minimum salary thresholds from the median to the 25th percentile of wages'. In short, making it FAR easier for firms to hire migrants. Why are they lowering barriers to overseas workers instead of training British men and women? British people do not want more immigration. At all."
Wider package of immigration measures
The change is part of a wider package of immigration measures announced by Mr Healey, which the Treasury says will help create Europe's "most pro-business migration system" for highly skilled workers. The Budget also sets out plans to expand the High Potential Individual visa to graduates from the world's top 150 institutions, with a corresponding increase in the scheme's cap.
In addition, the Government plans to extend the Graduate visa to two years for graduates from universities that meet its compliance requirements and demonstrate strong labour market outcomes. Highly skilled sponsored workers could also be given up to six months to find a new job if their sponsorship ends, with the change due to be implemented in 2027.
General threshold may offset reduction
The salary changes, however, do not mean every employer will automatically find it cheaper to recruit from overseas. The Government has also pledged to increase the general salary threshold using 2026 wage data and update salary requirements annually in line with the latest official earnings figures.
The overall minimum salary requirement for a particular worker depends on the general threshold and the occupation-specific threshold, with the higher applicable requirement taking precedence. Immigration law experts have warned that the increase in the general threshold could offset the reduction in occupation-specific requirements for some jobs. The precise impact will depend on the occupation and the final salary rules.
Nevertheless, the move represents a shift away from the higher occupation-specific salary thresholds introduced in April 2024, when requirements were raised from the 25th percentile to the median of earnings. Those restrictions were intended to reduce migration and prevent employers from relying on relatively cheap overseas labour instead of investing in domestic skills.
Debate over domestic training versus overseas recruitment
The Migration Advisory Committee subsequently recommended a return to the lower percentile, arguing that the median threshold could exclude some jobs and employers, particularly in areas outside London where wages tend to be lower. The Government's latest plans will therefore be welcomed by businesses that have struggled to recruit overseas workers under the existing rules, but are likely to reignite the debate over whether employers should be encouraged to train British workers rather than recruit internationally.
Mr Lowe's criticism centres on precisely that question, with the MP arguing that ministers are making it easier for firms to hire migrants when they should be prioritising the domestic workforce. The changes are not due to take effect until spring 2027, meaning the existing salary requirements remain in place for now. The Budget does not provide the final salary figures for individual occupations, which will depend on the implementation of the revised rules.
