The United Kingdom has announced sweeping new restrictions on overseas recruitment, barring more than 100 occupations from being filled by foreign workers as part of efforts to slash net migration.
In a statement posted on X Saturday morning, the UK Home Office said the move was aimed at reshaping the visa system while opening up more opportunities for British citizens.
“Cutting net migration means getting the fundamentals right,” the Home Office wrote. “More than 100 occupations are no longer eligible for overseas recruitment – opening up more jobs for British workers. A fairer, skills-focused system is now taking shape.”
The policy shift represents the latest major reform under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who came to power on July 5, 2024, after Labour’s landslide election victory that ousted Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government.
While the government insists the restrictions will protect jobs for locals, critics have warned the decision could worsen labour shortages in key sectors such as health and social care, which remain heavily reliant on migrant workers.
The Home Office was yet to publish the full list of the affected occupations as of the time of filling this report.
