Visa Costs

Sakina Sheikh AM proposed, and Anne Clarke AM seconded the following motion:

"London is a global city and the UK’s migrant population is concentrated in London. This Assembly recognises the contribution that migrants make to London’s culture and its economy. On average, each migrant worker contributes a net additional £46,000 in Gross Value Added (GVA) per annum to London’s economy. With approximately 1.8 million migrant workers in London, their total contribution is around £83 billion, 22% of London’s GVA per annum.

The economic benefit of migration is clear yet the administrative barriers and costs of seeking Indefinite Leave to Remain make our immigration complex and inaccessible. It deters those seeking to migrate and this framing speaks to the wider hostile environment agenda.

This Assembly welcomes the support provided by the Mayor of London to help migrants navigate the immigration system and settle into our capital. This includes more than  £1.1 million in funding to improve and expand access to immigration advice through the Frontline Immigration Advice Programme, the Migrant Londoners Hub which provides the latest information and links to advice and support services, and improves support to migrant workers in the capital. This action helps those impacted by the invasion of Ukraine, as well as European Londoners, the Windrush Generation and those hit by the lack of capacity within the asylum system.

This Assembly calls on the Chair of the Assembly, and the Mayor of London to write separately to the Minister of State for Immigration, urging them to support Londoners to secure their immigration status by cutting extortionate immigration and citizenship fees and improving funding for the advice and support sector. This could include:

• Speeding up and improving the Home Office decision-making process and communication with visa applicants;
• Introducing a quicker, simpler, less stressful visa application process including application centres in people’s country of origin or first safe country;
• Reducing indefinite leave to remain visa fees for adults to administrative costs only, and abolish fees for children;
• Reviewing the Immigration Health Surcharge, including removing the surcharge for NHS workers, and Commonwealth and Gurkha veterans; and
• Cutting the time needed to acquire indefinite leave to remain status from 10 years to five.”

Following debate and upon being put to the vote, the motion in the name of Sakina Sheikh AM was agreed, with 14 votes being cast in favour and 0 votes being cast against.