Shocking visa loophole exposed despite crackdown - 'it is an abuse of the system'

Migrants are still bringing a "shocking" number of family members with them to the UK despite a crackdown, ministers have been warned.

Fury erupted after 12 Cameroonians successfully applied for 180 family members to join them in the UK in the year to March.

And 257 Ghanaian health workers brought 2,131 "dependants" to the UK over the same 12 months.

Under the Conservatives, the Home Office banned care workers from bringing their family members with them.

But the tough new rules do not apply to those already in the UK.

And Kemi Badenoch's party vowed to ban care workers already living in the country from bringing their families to the UK,

Some 1,029 skilled worker visas were issued to Pakistanis, who brought in 6,155 family members. This equates to six dependants for every worker.

Meanwhile, 230 Nigerian workers sponsored 1,114 family members.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: "These shocking figures show far too many family members, including the family of people working in kebab shops and vape stores, are being let into the UK.

"The number of dependants is unacceptably high, the burden of supporting them all too often falls on the British taxpayer.

"Worker visas should not be a route to let in thousands more family members. It is an abuse of the system.

"Far too many people entered the UK on social care visas, and the previous Conservative government was right to put a stop to it. But today's revelations show those already here on social care visas are still bringing in large numbers of dependants. This must be urgently stopped.

"Social care workers already here should not be able to receive new visas for new dependants. We have seen hundreds of thousands of dependants of care workers come here, more than the number of actual care workers, and this must now urgently stop."

Under Labour's plans, migrants will be told to wait at least 10 years before they can apply for settlement rights.

Foreign nationals who arrived in the so-called "Boris wave" face a 10 to 15-year wait to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

And migrants could be barred from claiming benefits unless they become British citizens.

Arrivals applying for indefinite leave to remain after 10 years must have no criminal record, speak English to A-level standards and have no debt, under Labour's new proposals.

But Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is under pressure to water down her proposals.

Left-wing MPs, trade unions and health groups want the Home Office to exempt migrants already in the UK from the new rules.

The Home Office said: "We have taken significant action to reduce the number of dependants joining workers in the UK, steps which have contributed to overall net migration falling by 82% in just three years.

"This has included restricting dependants for all occupations below degree-level, increasing language requirements and ending overseas recruitment for care workers.

"Visa numbers for foreign workers are down 50% from their peak in 2023 as these reforms take effect, and we will double the route to settlement from five to 10 years, ensuring it is earned through contribution and integration."