New curbs on Indian migrants to UK likely

Britain is likely to further tighten immigration rules for Indian professionals and students after a key Home Office committee today suggested a reduction of up to 25 per cent in the number of non-EU migrant workers to bring down immigration to 'tens of thousands' every year.

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) said the number of professionals from India and other countries outside the European Union needs to be cut by between 6,300 and 12,600 between April 2011 and April 2012, official sources said.

This amounts to a reduction of 13 per cent and 25 per cent next year. The recommendation is part of the process to set the annual cap on non-EU migrants.

The MAC advice is usually accepted by ministers, and the latest one is expected to influence Home secretary Theresa May's decision to set a permanent cap on non-EU migrants from April 2011.

The MAC said in a report that pointed out that Indians were the largest group to enter Britain in the Tier 1 and Tier 2 category: "Our best estimate is that the Government objective to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands over the lifetime of this Parliament implies a reduction of between 6,300 and 12,600 Tier 1 and 2 visas to be issued in 2011-12."

Indian nationals, it said, "make up by far the largest proportion of total granted applications for Tier 1 and Tier 2. 41 per cent of Tier 1 General, 68 per cent of Tier 2 intra-company transfer and 24 per cent of Tier 2 General granted applications were for Indian nationals."

The controversial measure has attracted much criticism from inside and outside the David Cameron government, including Indian companies investing in Britain and British companies struggling to find the right skills in the EU.

The cap on migrants, however, will only contribute 20 per cent to the government's target of reducing UK immigration to "tens of thousands", the MAC said and added that the other 80 per cent cut would have come from student and family migration.

Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to halve net immigration to the UK so it is in the "tens of thousands".

In September, Home Secretary Theresa May announced an interim cap, limiting the number of non-EU workers allowed into the UK to 24,100 up to to April 2011.

Official sources said the government has already made a major concession to industry, by exempting intra-company transfers from it, which account for the majority of skilled workers coming into the UK through Tier Two of the points-based system.

Indian professionals are some of the highest users of the inter-company transfers.

The Migration Advisory Committee works with industry to draw up a list of shortage occupations and recommends the number of non-EU migrants that should be allowed in to fill vacancies.

Immigration Minister Damian Green said: "We thank the Migration Advisory Committee for their report, which we have analysed in great detail, and we will be announcing the details of our policy shortly".

"By introducing an annual limit, we will reduce the number of people who come to the UK to work from outside the EU...We can reduce net migration without damaging our economy. Britain will remain open for business, and we have already announced that managers and specialists will continue to be able to come to the UK through an exempted intra-company transfer route," he added.