Govt advisers: immigration should be cut by up to a quarter

A report from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC)said that it would not be possible to reduce the number of non-EU migrants from 196,000 to “tens of thousands” by limiting the amount of work-related migration alone.

The commmittee, which had been asked to recommend a level for a government immigration cap, said the number of migrant workers coming to Britain from outside the EU should be cut by between 13 and 25 per cent next year.

Its chairman, Professor David Metcalf, said the number of visas issued to highly-skilled workers without a job offer and skilled workers with an offer should be between 37,400 and 43,700 for 2011/12.

This would be “more severe, more stringent” than the temporary cap imposed this year, representing a cut of between 6,300 and 12,600 visas compared with 2009, he said.

But that would make up only 20 per cent of the cut needed, leaving another 20 per cent to come from family members of those already in Britain and the bulk – of 60 per cent – coming from student visas.

This suggests a cut of more than 87,000 in the number of student visas.

Priorities

The committee recommended that skilled workers with a job offer should be given priority over highly-skilled workers coming to Britain without an offer, in line with government plans. It also agreed with Ministers that government should raise the threshold for earnings and qualifications and said that action should also be taken to give UK workers the skills to ensure that businesses can still recruit the people they need.

But Prof Metcalf warned: “It is not possible to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands by limiting work-related migration alone.

“The committee assumes that work-related migration takes 20 per cent of the total cut – its fair share – which implies that family and student migration must take the other 80 per cent.”

Appearing before the Commons Liaison Committee – made up of the chairs of all the Commons select committees – the Prime Minister said that he hoped to make an announcement of the government’s decision next week.

Theresa May: settling in Britain “a cherished right”

The Home Secretary, Theresa May, has said that settling in Britain should be made a “cherished right”, rather than an automatic expectation. She also suggested that she would implement a cut in the number of students from outside the EU coming in to study below degree-level course in further and higher education colleges.

Ms May also suggest that there could be a minimum salary level set for skilled workers – possibly as high as £40,000 a year – after UK Border Agency research showed almost one in three highly skilled workers entering the UK without a job offer were in menial roles such as shop assistants, security guards and supermarket cashiers.

The Commons Home Affairs Select Committee found the proposed cap could affect fewer than one in 100 migrants entering the UK. In its report earlier this month, the committee said the government would also need to look at other routes, including international students and those joining family members in the UK, if it is to fulfil its pledge.

Criticism

Back in September in a submission to the Home Office consultation, London Mayor Boris Johnson expressed concerns that a government cap on non-EU migrants would be “likely to have a significant negative and disproportionate impact on London” and “put the economic recovery at risk by creating skills gaps and placing London at a competitive disadvantage in the global competition for talent and inward investment”.

The Business Secretary Vince Cable has also expressed concerns about capping non-EU immigration saying it was proving “very damaging” to British business interests and the restrictions should be be applied more flexibly.