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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you think the new £38K income visa threshold for UK spouse visas is fair?

936 replies

zendeveloper · 04/12/2023 19:32

It is set at the same level as for work visas.

Feels completely crazy to me, but then, I am also an immigrant (although the changes don't affect me), so probably too sensitive to the topic. Would be interesting to hear MN opinion.

OP posts:
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dreamersdown · 04/12/2023 19:33

It’s incredibly high. The sectors that are most filled with important immigrant workers (the workers holding this country up right now!) are healthcare, caring etc - and they often pay nowhere near this.

murasaki · 04/12/2023 19:40

If you have to support another person, the average is fair, which I think is 35k?

Relaxingweekendmaybe · 04/12/2023 19:41

Just saw this online… I am the wife of someone who has thankfully just been granted indefinite leave to remain. The years before when we first started this process I had to earn £18,600. The following years he sponsored himself on his own earnings, although I still earned enough alone. £18,600 per year in London isn’t enough to support two people no. I would have maybe expected a bit of an increase but £38,000!!!!! I will never earn that in my life. Im extremely shocked and thankful that we are now in the fortunate position we are in. It’s been years of hard work, paying fees, living in separate countries at one time, but all worth it 🙏 just feel sad for those couples and families who won’t be able to afford to stay together, if they either don’t earn enough or have to take a period of unpaid leave for whatever reason, they won’t reach the threshold. It’s going to be tough. 😞 £18,600 was reachable for me at the time (just about), I now earn £27,000. £38,000 is definitely not for the majority of people.

murasaki · 04/12/2023 19:45

I think the amount should be joint though.so one earns say 25 and there is the ability for the other to top up. A year to make that happen or visas reviewed.

Original poster
zendeveloper · 04/12/2023 19:45

murasaki · 04/12/2023 19:40

If you have to support another person, the average is fair, which I think is 35k?

It is 21st century... often both spouses work, but in this case (for the initial application) only the British spouse's income will be taken into account.

OP posts:
SgtBilko · 04/12/2023 19:46

No, I don’t think it is fair. It is far too high.

lkwhjis · 04/12/2023 19:46

It’s high. As long as we have jobs that the lazy 5 million brits on out of work benefits don’t want to do.

Original poster
zendeveloper · 04/12/2023 19:48

murasaki · 04/12/2023 19:45

I think the amount should be joint though.so one earns say 25 and there is the ability for the other to top up. A year to make that happen or visas reviewed.

This feels even more cruel, if anything. Hey you, failure, lost your job? Very sad, very sad, anyway, we'll kick out your wife in addition to that.

OP posts:
murasaki · 04/12/2023 19:48

zendeveloper · 04/12/2023 19:45

It is 21st century... often both spouses work, but in this case (for the initial application) only the British spouse's income will be taken into account.

Show quote history

I agree, hence it should be a joint total with a time frame on achieving it

OhmygodDont · 04/12/2023 19:52

I mean if you’re being sponsored you need to earn enough to support both with no benefit to ups no? It doesn’t sound terrible.

Hell even private renting these days some landlords can want you to earn 3x the rent per month. A pretty poor 2 bed here has recently gone for £950 if they want an income x 3 that’s 34,200 just to be allowed to rent a place let alone support a whole adult so in comparison doesn’t seem far out.

lkwhjis · 04/12/2023 19:52

Low skilled mass immigration is a ponzu scheme that’s gone far too far. It’s like Bernie Madoff on steroids.

since 1997, we have been importing cheap labour who bring their families with them. So then you need more immigrants to come in for jobs to support the previous round of low skilled migrants. More people need more taxes to pay for their needs. And on this merry go around goes. And during this time over 5 millions indingenous have decided that no longer need to work when they can just live for free.

All this is happening while the number of net contributor shrinks so fewer and fewer people paying for more and more. Half of the people in this country takes more from the system than it pays in. This upside down pyramid built on top of an ever shrinking number of people who actually contribute more than they take is starting to get really unstable. Welcome to UK, a country knocking on the door to enter the third world. Not offensive, just true.

lkwhjis · 04/12/2023 19:54

zendeveloper · 04/12/2023 19:48

This feels even more cruel, if anything. Hey you, failure, lost your job? Very sad, very sad, anyway, we'll kick out your wife in addition to that.

Show quote history

What’s your idea? And how would you pay for it?

hennybeans · 04/12/2023 19:54

I came here 20 years ago on a fiancée visa. The reason why it only considered dh’s income was because I wasn’t allowed to work here until we were married.

Dh did have to support me financially for 6 months whilst we were engaged. And then it took a little while to get the paperwork and find a job after marriage.

The govt can’t possibly know how much I could potentially have earned so could only consider what dh actually earned.

38k is high and some people will never earn that, but I can’t imagine two can live on much less when the immigrant partner isn’t entitled to any financial help from the govt and can’t work until marriage.

willstarttomorrow · 04/12/2023 19:56

Not fair in any way at all but this is about trying to win votes. It is also not fair to invite people to take jobs we cannot fill from the home grown workforce but to then say but 'not your partner and children- that is just taking the piss incomer' (paraphrasing slightly there) is crazy . My 101 year old nan was in a lovely care home which was then staffed by EU workers, mostly from Poland. After Brexit, my mother who needs nursing care and has very advanced dementia is in an amazing nursing home staffed by nurses from the Philippines and also care staff.

My SIL is from the Philippines and whilst it is very usual for women to leave their children with grandparents and send money home, the current proposal is cruel. It just stinks of a colonial mindset in that they are bloody lucky to be here. The only thing which probably remains on our side in the UK when recruiting talent from overseas is that English is the universal language.

Noicant · 04/12/2023 19:56

Feel conflicted about this one on one hand it’s quite high and plenty of people on lower wages make a meaningful contribution to society and people can progress etc.

On the other the reality is no country is obliged to have you and ideally you would be self sustaining.

kirbykirby · 04/12/2023 19:56

Yes, very fair. It should be higher.

Noicant · 04/12/2023 19:57

I do think though people who are actively recruited by the government such as the NHS should be allowed to bring families with them.

Crababbles · 04/12/2023 19:58

It’s completely fair. If two married low earners want visas, they can both apply for work visas. You can’t support two people on 18k.

Noicant · 04/12/2023 20:00

I think tbh student visas are more of a problem, there was a lecturer who was clearly frustrated that many on her course didn’t have enough english to actually do their courses. I think if someone is coming to do a phd or got to a russell group uni we should be allowing them to bring family and be as welcoming as possible.

Original poster
zendeveloper · 04/12/2023 20:01

Crababbles · 04/12/2023 19:58

It’s completely fair. If two married low earners want visas, they can both apply for work visas. You can’t support two people on 18k.

Err... is £38K now a low earner on MN? Honestly, in some other threads people on these salaries are told to count their lucky stars. It is not too far from a teacher's or a nurse's salary, is it?

OP posts:
Dymaxion · 04/12/2023 20:01

I think its interesting that the limit is 3.5k above what most band 5 nurses will earn outside London, at the very top of that band.

FirstFallopians · 04/12/2023 20:01

My understanding was that people coming to work in Health & Social care were exempt from threshold if coming under a skilled workers visa. However, they won’t be able to bring any dependents.

I think the minimum salary did need to be increased- £18.6k wouldn’t go far supporting a minimum of two people in most places in the U.K. But to more than double it? Unfair and I’m sure a lot of families are very worried tonight.

CormorantStrikesBack · 04/12/2023 20:02

Dd is panicking as now her bf may not be able to come….unless it’s going to be different for Canadians with them being in the commonwealth?

Original poster
zendeveloper · 04/12/2023 20:02

kirbykirby · 04/12/2023 19:56

Yes, very fair. It should be higher.

How much higher would you set it at?

OP posts:
Exasperatednow · 04/12/2023 20:02

No.

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