Report on New UK Skilled Worker Visa Regulations and Their Conflict with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction and Executive Summary

On Wednesday, members of the RMT trade union protested new financial thresholds for Skilled Worker Visas. This report analyzes the recently amended Immigration Act (1971), effective 8 November, through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The changes present significant challenges to the achievement of several key goals, most notably SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Policy Impact on SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The new regulations exacerbate inequalities, directly contravening the core principles of SDG 10. The policy is projected to have a disproportionate impact on non-white individuals, thereby increasing institutional racial discrimination.

• Increased Salary Thresholds: The minimum gross income for a General Skilled Worker Visa has been raised by 8% from £38,700 to £41,700. This figure is substantially higher than the 2024 UK average annual salary of £34,900, creating a barrier that disproportionately affects workers from developing nations.
• Barriers for Graduates: Overseas students must now secure employment with a minimum salary of £33,400, limiting opportunities for young professionals and contributing to a global “brain drain” that undermines equality.
• Family Separation: More stringent English-language tests for families joining an employed partner serve as a barrier to family reunification, a policy that deepens social and economic inequalities.

Challenges to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The visa amendments threaten the principles of decent work and risk disrupting key sectors of the UK economy, undermining progress towards SDG 8.

1. Widespread Job Insecurity: The policy places thousands of workers at risk of job loss, detention, and deportation. This includes over 200 RMT members in the rail industry and an estimated 2,000 DWP staff, among thousands more in other departments.
2. Disruption to Key Sectors: The adult social care, hospitality, and logistics sectors, which rely on migrant labour due to historically low wages and poor conditions, face significant workforce gaps. Rather than addressing the root cause of labour shortages in line with SDG 8’s call for decent work for all, the policy penalises migrant workers.
3. Erosion of Labour Rights: RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey stated that the government’s “sudden rule changes” have betrayed the trust of loyal workers who keep the railways running, creating instability and violating the understanding under which they were employed.

Implications for SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The method of implementation and the potential consequences of the new rules raise serious concerns regarding the UK’s commitment to SDG 16, which promotes peaceful, just, and inclusive societies with accountable institutions.

• Lack of Inclusive Governance: The government utilised a statutory instrument to amend the legislation, bypassing parliamentary debate and consultation with trade unions and other stakeholders. This approach undermines the SDG 16 target for responsive, inclusive, and representative decision-making.
• Threats to Justice and Personal Security: Concerns were raised by MP John McDonnell about the potential for enforcement actions resembling “Trumpian Ice-style raids,” where individuals could be forcibly removed from their homes and workplaces. Such actions threaten the rule of law and personal security.
• Call for Institutional Reform: The trade-union movement is calling for a pause in implementation to allow for collaboration on a fair solution. This reflects a demand for stronger, more accountable institutions that protect the rights of all workers, a cornerstone of SDG 16.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights issues that are directly connected to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary SDGs addressed are:

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The core of the article revolves around the employment, rights, and economic security of migrant workers, which are central themes of SDG 8.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article explicitly frames the new visa rules as a form of “institutional racism” that disproportionately affects people from a “non-white background,” directly addressing the goal of reducing inequality within and among countries.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article touches upon the legislative process and the nature of the new rules, describing them as discriminatory and unjust. It also mentions the lack of democratic process (“no debate nor any consultation”), which relates to the goal of building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s discussion, several specific targets under the identified SDGs are relevant:

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Target 8.5: “By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value.” The article discusses how the new salary thresholds will disqualify many workers from their jobs, undermining the goal of full and productive employment. It also highlights the “appallingly low wages and conditions” in certain sectors, which is contrary to the principle of decent work.
• Target 8.8: “Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers…” The entire article is a call to protect the rights of migrant workers who face job loss and deportation due to “sudden rule changes.” The mobilization of trade unions like RMT and PCS underscores the focus on protecting the labor rights of these workers who are now in a precarious and insecure situation.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Target 10.2: “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… race, colour, ethnicity, origin…” The article argues that the policy is “deeply racist” and will overwhelmingly affect people from a “non-white background,” representing a direct challenge to the goal of social and economic inclusion irrespective of race or origin.
• Target 10.3: “Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices…” The new visa thresholds are presented as a discriminatory policy that creates inequality of outcome, as workers who were previously qualified are now at risk of losing their jobs and being deported. The call to scrap the measures is a call to eliminate a discriminatory policy.
• Target 10.7: “Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.” The article describes the policy change as sudden, with “no transition period” and no consultation, which is the opposite of a “planned and well-managed” migration policy. It creates instability and insecurity for migrants, undermining this target.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Target 16.b: “Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development.” The article’s central argument is that the new visa rules are a discriminatory policy. Richard Burgon is quoted as calling the measures “deeply immoral” and a “racist policy.” The protest itself is an effort to challenge this policy and advocate for non-discriminatory laws.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure the impact of the policy and track progress towards the identified targets:

Indicators for SDG 8

• Salary Thresholds: The article provides specific monetary values that serve as direct indicators of economic barriers to employment. These include the increase in the General Skilled Worker Visa threshold from “£38,700 gross income to £41,700” and the new minimum salary of “£33,400” for overseas students. These figures can be compared against the average UK annual salary, which the article states was “approximately £34,900,” to measure the policy’s exclusionary effect.
• Number of Affected Workers: The article gives concrete numbers of workers at risk, which is a direct indicator of job insecurity among migrant workers. It states, “More than 200 RMT members are at threat” and “there are two thousand DWP staff who will be impacted.” These numbers quantify the negative impact on decent work.

Indicators for SDG 10

• Disproportionate Racial Impact: The article implies a key qualitative indicator by stating that “the overwhelming number of people being affected coming from a non-white background.” This points to the need to measure the policy’s impact across different racial and ethnic groups to assess its discriminatory nature (Target 10.3).
• Restrictive Migration Policy Rules: The specific policy changes themselves—such as the significant salary hikes, shortened time frames for students, and “more stringent English-language tests” for families—serve as indicators of a less orderly and more restrictive migration policy, which works against the aims of Target 10.7.

Indicators for SDG 16

• Lack of Consultation in Policymaking: The article indicates a failure in institutional process by noting that the government “used a statutory instrument to make the amendment: this meant there was no debate nor any consultation with unions or others.” This serves as an indicator of non-inclusive decision-making, which is relevant to building strong and accountable institutions.
• Existence of Discriminatory Legislation: The amendment to the Immigration Act (1971) itself is presented as an indicator of a discriminatory law being put into force, directly relating to the monitoring of Target 16.b.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: counterfire.org