UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a series of steps on Monday intended to reduce the country’s soaring immigration rates.

Describing the plan as “radical action,” Sunak said the measures would ensure immigration benefits the UK moving forward.

Key aspects include limiting international students’ ability to bring families unless pursuing postgraduate research and raising the minimum salary thresholds for skilled worker visas.

“Immigration is too high. Today we’re taking radical action to bring it down,” Sunak tweeted. “These steps will make sure that immigration always benefits the UK.”

Sunak emphasized banning overseas students from bringing families unless postgraduate research students, stopping immigration from undercutting British workers, and removing 20% salary discounts for shortage occupations.

Immigration hit record levels in 2022, with net migration reaching 606,000, per official figures. Despite Conservative government pledges to reduce immigration after Brexit, non-EU migration drove last year’s growth.

“The main drivers of the increase were people coming to the UK from non-EU countries for work, study and for humanitarian purposes,” said Jay Lindop, Director of the Centre for International Migration.

The new measures represent the government’s latest effort to respond to public concerns over high immigration totals. Their impact remains to be seen as the country continues grappling with Brexit and global events.