The Government’s handling of immigration was explained this week by Immigration Minister Damian Green, during a visit to Harlow College.
I invited Mr Green to address an audience of charity workers, faith leaders, Harlow College staff and students, as well as Harlow residents and several pensioners.
The key policies that he set out were:
- A new skills test has been brought in, giving British people priority for jobs.
- There is a tough new English language test for migrants.
- A fixed cap of around 20,000 on skilled workers a year, coming from outside the EU.
- The Government has recruited a Chief Constable to run the new, independent Border Police Force that has been set up.
- There will be bew laws to confront the horror of forced marriage.
- Already there has been proactive removal of around 40,000 individuals, who have no right to work in Britain, in the last 12 months.
The Minister also hinted at new stricter measures, to stop immigrants from coming to Britain if they have highly infectious diseases, such as TB, to stop 'NHS-tourism'. He would not be drawn on the details, but promised to make a further announcement in the weeks ahead.
Mr Green said:
“When we came to power net immigration was running at about 250,000 people a year and our plan, over the course of this Parliament - so by 2015 - is to bring that down to 100,000 or below, so it’s a very ambitious project.
“The only way we will achieve that is by operating to bring the numbers down on all immigration routes. That is why we have introduced a limit on work visas, visas for skilled workers, and we’ve introduced much tighter controls on student visas.
“Some 450 colleges have stopped bringing in foreign students since we instituted a proper inspection regime.
“We know that student visas last year were 19 per cent lower than the year before.”
“Britain has benefited from immigration but it has got to be at the proper levels - levels that communities and publicservices can sustain.”
I brought the Minister to Harlow College because numerous residents contact me about immigration. They are genuinely concerned about the strain this places on our local NHS, schools and other public services.
I was pleased that the Minister was able to explain the measures that the Government are bringing in to control immigration, and to reduce immigration numbers substantially.
“The only way we will achieve that is by operating to bring the numbers down on all immigration routes. That is why we have introduced a limit on work visas, visas for skilled workers, and we’ve introduced much tighter controls on student visas.
“Some 450 colleges have stopped bringing in foreign students since we instituted a proper inspection regime.
“We know that student visas last year were 19 per cent lower than the year before.”
“Britain has benefited from immigration but it has got to be at the proper levels - levels that communities and publicservices can sustain.”
I brought the Minister to Harlow College because numerous residents contact me about immigration. They are genuinely concerned about the strain this places on our local NHS, schools and other public services.
I was pleased that the Minister was able to explain the measures that the Government are bringing in to control immigration, and to reduce immigration numbers substantially.
YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT CONTROL IMMIGRATION WHILE THE UK IS IN THE EU. IF 11 MILLION GREEKS WANT TO COME HERE TOMORROW THERE IS NOTHING THAT YOU OR THE NOT VERY CONSERVATIVE PARTY CAN DO. STOP LYING TELL THE TRUTH
ReplyDeleteI am an immigrant living in Harlow. I would like to inform people who are aganst immigration that we contribute to UK economy by paying tax and from our tax people are getting benefits. Unfortunately we can't get any benefit from our contribution as this is restricted for us. I am with 2 children but can not even claim child tax credit but have to pay everything. The visa fee is recently increased with a justification not to put any burden to tax payer. Then who am I? Tax payer and immigrant. One side taking tax from me and other side very high fee from me again. Is it justice. So people please consider us as contributor not a burden. thanks
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