New UK govt to have annual cap on immigrants

I / London May 12, 2010, 11:58 IST

Skilled professionals and students from India will find it more difficult to come to Britain as the new David Cameron government puts in place the Conservative party's immigration policy that seeks a drastic annual reduction of migrants. 

The immigration policy of the new coalition government will put an annual limit and new curbs on migrants from India and other countries outside the European Union. As per the understanding between the Conservative and Liberal Democrats parties, it is the Conservative policy that has been adopted by the new coalition government.

The Liberal Democrats' immigration policy of region-based migration and amnesty to illegal migrants in the UK for 10 years has been given up during the protracted negotiations that preceded the formation of the new government last night.

The overall goal of the Conservative party's policy is to reduce net immigration to the levels of the 1990s – "tens of thousands a year, instead of the hundreds of thousands every year under the Labour government".

The Conservative party's policy adopted by the new government says, "We will introduce an annual limit on the numbers of non-EU economic migrants allowed to work here, taking into consideration the effects a rising population has on our public services and local communities. The limit would change each year to take into account the wider effects of immigration on society".

The policy also commits the new government to "introduce important new rules to tighten up the student visa system, which at the moment is the biggest hole in our border controls".

To promote integration into British society, there will be an English language test for anyone coming here from outside the EU to get married, the party's immigration policy says.

The policy says, "Britain can benefit from immigration, but not uncontrolled immigration. "Look at any aspect of life today and you will see the contribution that migrants have brought, and not just to the economy.

"We want to continue to attract the brightest and the best people to the UK, but with control on the overall numbers coming here".