The UK is set to raise the minimum salary threshold for a skilled worker visa and prevent overseas health and social care staff from bringing family dependents to the country. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has praised the proposals as the biggest clampdown on legal migration ever, but critics argue it could damage the state-run National Health Service (NHS), which faces staff shortages. Immigration is a key issue in nationwide elections, which must be held by January 2025 at the latest. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that the number of people who arrived in Britain last year was 745,000 more than the number who left. Interior Minister James Cleverly said his plan would result in 300,000 fewer people coming to the UK in the coming years. Critics have said this effectively imposes a double charge on migrant workers, as employees also pay national insurance charges, which go towards covering healthcare. The government is also working on emergency legislation to get deportation flights going by spring.