The UK’s opposition party, the Labour Party, has pledged to limit the hiring of foreign workers and focus on developing domestic talent in preparation for the next general election. Last week, the Office of National Statistics released data showing net migration to the UK had reached a record high of 606,000 people in 2022, largely driven by non-EU workers coming for employment, education, and humanitarian reasons. The current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has admitted that the numbers are excessive and has pledged to reduce them. However, the Labour Party has blamed the issue on the government’s failure to address a skills shortage, saying that cheap foreign labour is no substitute for a comprehensive plan. The party intends to focus on apprenticeships to offer a better future for young people and the need to end the hiring culture that favors foreign skilled workers over locals. The party announced that it would abolish the rules allowing employers to pay up to 20% less than the going rate to hire foreign workers for jobs on the skills shortage list. It also intends to introduce time limits on the hiring of foreign workers in shortage occupations and link Migration Advisory Committee and Skills England to offer training plans for local workers. Shadow Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, attacked the over-reliance on overseas recruitment in the NHS and called for a move toward home-grown talent.