London: The oldest medical union in the UK criticized government plans to raise the fee migrant workers must pay to access the public health care system in order to pay for increases in public-sector wages on Saturday.
This week, the government of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak approved recommendations to increase the pay of teachers, doctors, and police by 5.0 to 7.0 percent.
Sunak claimed that increases in the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) and visa fees would raise £1 billion instead of tax increases or government borrowing to pay for the rise.
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The decision would result in migrants paying twice as much to use the NHS, according to Doctors in Unite, a group that advocates for junior doctors, general practitioners, and hospital consultants.
The majority of UK workers have their National Insurance contributions withheld from their paychecks at the source, which funds the National Health Service as well as state pension and unemployment programs.
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"Migrants contribute to the funding of the NHS through general taxation just like other workers do. The NHS surcharge should not be doubled to more than £1,200 ($1,570) annually, according to Doctors in Unite.
"Migrants are effectively 'taxed twice' to access the same service," the statement continued, branding the action "immoral and divisive."
The IHS, which was initially implemented to stop "medical tourism," is now paid by the majority of immigrants due to stricter post-Brexit entry requirements. For stays longer than six months, it is paid per person in addition to the visa fees.
Under-18s and students pay £470 annually, while those over 18 pay £624 annually. The government wants to increase the adult IHS to £1,035, and the reduced rate to £776.
The cost of student and leave-to-remain visas, among others, will increase by at least 20%, while work and visit visas will increase by 15%. According to official data released in May, net migration in the UK reached a record 606,000 in 2022, placing additional pressure on the government, which has vowed to reduce reliance on foreign labor.
The amount of legal immigration, according to Sunak, is "too high," and he is also fending off record numbers of asylum requests from people trying to cross the English Channel in small boats.
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Critics caution that the IHS increases—paid for by individuals or their businesses—could exacerbate the lack of qualified workers in many sectors and drive students and high-skilled workers away.
Praxis, a charity for refugees and migrants, has accused ministers of using non-UK citizens as "cash cows" at a time when they were already having trouble paying for high visa renewal fees.
The Wellcome Sanger Institute, a genomics research facility, reported spending more than £300,000 on employee immigration costs in 2022. Head of policy Sarion Bowers stated, "These proposed increases create further barriers for global talent... and will have a detrimental impact on UK and global science."