Reform UK, the British political party led by Nigel Farage, has proposed a series of immigration and employment reforms aimed at reducing reliance on overseas labour and increasing the recruitment of British workers.
One of its latest proposals would increase the cost for employers of hiring foreign workers through a new tax regime. The measures are not government policy and would require Reform UK to win a future general election and pass new legislation before they could take effect.
The announcement has attracted attention among overseas workers and prospective UK visa applicants because of questions about who could be affected and whether employers may become less willing to recruit internationally in future.
What Has Reform UK Proposed?
Under the proposals, employers would pay lower National Insurance contributions for British workers while continuing to pay higher rates for non-British workers.
Reform has also proposed a new “migrant labour levy”, an additional charge that employers would pay when hiring foreign workers.
The party says the objective is to encourage employers to recruit from the domestic workforce and reduce dependence on overseas labour. Reform has described the approach as a “British workers first” policy and has linked it to wider plans aimed at reducing immigration.
The proposed levy would operate on a sliding scale. Lower-paid roles would attract higher charges, while employers recruiting higher-paid workers and specialist employees would face lower charges. Reform has suggested that employers could pay around £3,750 per year for some lower-paid foreign workers, although full details have not yet been published.
Who Could Be Affected?
One of the biggest unanswered questions is exactly which workers would fall within scope of any new foreign worker tax or levy. Initial reports suggest the proposals could apply to a broad range of non-British workers, including:
- Skilled Worker visa holders
- Graduate visa holders
- Workers on family visas
- Individuals with indefinite leave to remain
- EU citizens with settled status
The possible inclusion of settled workers has attracted particular attention. People with settled status already have permanent rights to live and work in the UK, while individuals with indefinite leave to remain have already completed a pathway to permanent residence.
Reports suggest that the proposed system could be based on British citizenship rather than immigration status. If that approach were adopted, the measures could extend beyond temporary visa holders to people who already have permanent rights to remain in the UK.
At present, no draft legislation has been published and there is no confirmed definition of which workers would be covered.
Would Employers Still Hire Overseas Workers?
The proposals would increase the cost of employing non-British workers, which has led some visa applicants to question whether employers would continue recruiting internationally.
In practice, many UK employers recruit overseas workers because they cannot find enough suitable candidates in the domestic labour market. International recruitment remains particularly important in sectors such as healthcare, social care, hospitality, manufacturing and logistics.
While higher employment costs could influence recruitment decisions, employers would still need access to the skills and workers required to operate their businesses. For highly skilled roles and occupations experiencing labour shortages, international recruitment is likely to remain important.
The impact would therefore vary significantly between sectors, occupations and employers.
Could These Proposals Become Law?
The proposals remain political commitments rather than government policy. Reform UK is not currently in government and no draft legislation has been published. Significant legal, political and practical questions would need to be resolved before any such measures could be introduced.
Questions have also been raised regarding workers who already hold permanent immigration status in the UK. Critics argue that applying different employment costs to EU citizens with settled status could create legal and diplomatic challenges linked to the UK’s post-Brexit arrangements with the European Union.
For now, there is no change to UK visa rules, sponsorship requirements or the rights of people already living and working in the UK.
What Does This Mean for Current Visa Applicants?
At present, there is no change to UK immigration rules, visa eligibility requirements or sponsorship arrangements. Skilled Worker visas, family visas, Graduate visas and other immigration routes continue to operate under the existing rules. Employers can continue recruiting overseas workers and sponsoring eligible applicants.
The proposals discussed in this article are political policy announcements rather than changes to UK law. Any future reforms would require legislation and are likely to face significant political and legal scrutiny before they could be implemented.
For prospective UK visa applicants, the announcement is best viewed as part of an ongoing political debate about immigration rather than an immediate change to the UK’s immigration system.
