UK’s higher-earning immigrants may be driven out by tougher rules, report suggests

Higher-earning immigrants are less likely to remain in the UK long-term and could be further deterred from staying by the government’s planned crackdown on settlement rights, analysis has revealed. A report from the Migration Advisory Committee’s , Who Stays, Who Leaves?, follows about 900,000 journeys between 2014 and 2024. The research is intended to help understanding of long-term migration patterns and the possible effects of policy changes on labour shortages, population forecasts and the public finances. The MAC report said: “Our analysis suggests migrants earning the lowest wages are the most likely to remain in the UK long term, while there is some evidence that those with the highest salaries (£125,000+) are the most likely income group to leave. “These [higher-paid] migrants may benefit from more global opportunities and lower financial barriers to moving elsewhere, reducing the incentives to remain in the UK longer-term.” Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, proposes raising the baseline qualifying period for settled status in the UK from five years to 10. The proposals say those who meet certain criteria, including higher-rate taxpayers, could qualify for discounts that would reduce the wait for indefinite leave to remain back down to five years. However, MAC’s report warns that stricter rules could discourage higher earners from remaining in Britain. …