Ever since the formation of the UK’s coalition government, immigration has been one of the few things that have been occupying the politicos’ mind. There is nothing to surprise, since immigration had been such an important part of the election campaigns. Immigration played an important role in the campaigns and still it is one of the top issues on the newly formed government’s agenda.
Keeping in mind the matters like rising population and its impact on the country’s local communities and public services, the David Cameron-led government is thinking of having an annual limit on immigration from non-European Union countries. Unlike the former Labour government, the new government is not that keen to welcome as many as immigrants on yearly basis. In an attempt to reduce the country’s net migration to the levels of the 1990s, the Conservative government is considering the introduction of a yearly cap for the outside EU migrants who enter and work in the United Kingdom.
Indeed, there is a vast difference between the immigration levels of the 1990s and the recent years. During the thirteen years of the Labour government’s regime, Britain saw the rise of population by 3 million, largely contributed by migrants. Reportedly, in the 1990s, the country’s annual net migration happened to be 70,000. If we see the figures for the year 2009, we can see an intense rise of the number. The year experienced a net immigration of about 150,000.
With government’s policy to impose the numerical limit on non-European Union workers entering the UK, The Highly Skilled Migrants Forum, a significant group comprising skilled professionals from India and other non-EU economies is likely to voice against the government’s intention. According to the forum’s director, such an annual cap on immigrants will affect mostly Indian professionals, reason being a majority of the non-EU migrants to Britain come from the sub-continent. Besides, the forum believes that the limit would also hamper the British economy. Moreover, the director assumes that the idea of cutting down the immigration levels to that of the 1990s is just unattainable.
Apart from this, the new coalition government also intends to rollout new rules in order to toughen the visa system pertaining to overseas students. The government also likes to impose an English language test on anyone from outside the EU, who intends to enter the UK to ensure each and everyone could assimilate in the British society!
