James Cleverly unveiled changes to Britain's legal migration system on Monday 4 December, after official statistics showed that annual arrivals had hit a record high last year.
The home secretary shared a package of measures intended to bring down net migration.
He told the Commons that the minimum salary requirement for a skilled worker from overseas will be significantly hiked to around £38,000, a Whitehall official said.
The increase from £26,200 a year for visas to work in Britain featured in a wider package to be announced as Rishi Sunak comes under huge pressure.
The prime minister has vowed to “do what is necessary” to bring down net migration in the wake of an official estimate saying levels had peaked at 745,000 in 2022.
The salary figure is lower than the £40,000 in the deal Mr Sunak allegedly agreed with his since-sacked home secretary Suella Braverman to win her support for the Tory leadership.
Privately, two sources said, Ms Braverman and immigration minister Robert Jenrick had pushed for the cap to go even higher, to £45,000.
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