Further crackdown on immigration outlined by Prime Minister
The Prime Minister, David Cameron, has outlined further plans to control immigration to the United Kingdom in a speech made on 10 October 2011 to the Institute for Government.Further changes to the immigration system were outlined that will affect the work, student and family migration routes in ongoing efforts to tackle abuses of the system and refocus immigration on boosting economic growth.
The focus of the speech is to make it more difficult for illegal immigrants to stay in the UK and as part of this he appealed to the public to any suspected illegal immigrants to Crimestoppers or the UKBA.
Mr Cameron said in his speech that ‘we want the best and the brightest to come here: the investors and the entrepreneurs who will create the businesses and the jobs of tomorrow and the scientists who will help keep Britain at the heart of the great advances in medicine, biotech, advanced manufacturing and communications’.
As part of this he highlighted that 196 investor and entrepreneur visas have already been granted this year. Given Mr Cameron’s clear focus on reducing the number of jobs filled by foreign workers it should be clear that coming to the UK will be increasingly difficult for those who do not fall under either investors, entrepreneurs or the exceptionally talented.
There should be no ambiguity on the government’s policy direction relating to Immigration. Mr Cameron clearly said the changes reflect ‘an approach that imposes tough limits, not weak minimum thresholds, real tests of skill and potential, not thousands of people box-ticking their way into the UK. In short, a system that actually controls immigration for the good of this country; one that doesn’t just sound tough, but is tough.’
You can read the full text of the Prime Minister’s speech on the 10 Downing Street website.
New measures outlined
The Prime Minister outlined the following new measures which will be brought into place to control migration:
- stricter tests to demonstrate a genuine, ongoing relationship for those wishing to bring partners to the UK
- setting a minimum income level for those wishing to bring spouses and family members to the UK
- consultation on legislation to make forced mariage illegal
- increasing the residence period from two to five years for anyone applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a spouse or partner
- creating legislation to allow registrars to refuse to perform a wedding which they know to be a sham
- changing the Immigration Rules ‘to help prevent Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights being abused’
Citizenship test to be revised
Mr Cameron also announced in this speech that the citizenship test will be revised to question people about British history and culture instead of ‘the main institutions of Europe and ... the benefits system within the UK’.
No details have been confirmed on this as yet; this website believes that the new test will be launched in April 2012, with a transitional period of 2-3 months before the old test is phased out.
We will confirm more details as soon as we have them.
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