What a Labour Government means for UK immigration

With Labour now in power, significant changes are expected in the UK's immigration policies. Alongside changes to Border security and smuggling, Asylum system reform and scrapping of the Rwanda deportation scheme, below we have listed the main implications for migrant workers based on Labour's 2024 manifesto:

Reduced reliance on overseas workers

To reduce the net migration and the reliance on overseas workers the Labour government aims to enhance domestic education and training through investing in education, vocational training and providing continuous learning opportunities for UK workers.

Protection of migrant workers

Labour intends to protect the employment rights of migrant workers by implementing robust legal frameworks, ensuring fair treatment, and providing effective mechanisms for addressing grievances.

In particular, the new government aims to enact and enforce laws that guarantee migrant workers the same rights and protections as domestic workers, including minimum wage, working hours, and occupational safety. In addition, they will Implement laws that prohibit discrimination based on nationality, race, gender, or immigration status in hiring, working conditions, and wages.

Sector-specific initiatives

Labour recognises that sector-specific initiatives are essential for protecting migrant workers' employment rights, as different industries have unique challenges and needs. They aim to balance the demand for skilled labour with the need to develop the domestic workforce. Key sectors such as construction, health care, information and technology, manufacturing etc all require tailored strategies while focusing on training UK workers to fill these roles over time.

The Labour government hopes that these changes address long-standing issues in the UK's immigration system and ensure a more equitable and efficient process for all involved.

But can Labour deliver?

The new government has outlined a comprehensive and ambitious set of immigration policies, the success in implementing these policies effectively and efficiently will hinge on overcoming practical challenges and securing necessary resources. Let's watch this space.

Get in touch

If you have any queries or would like to speak with one of our team, please visit our website at www.migrate-uk.com or contact us via email at: [email protected].