I must apologise. In the 13 years I have been Wyre Forest’s MP, I have successfully avoided writing about the same subject two weeks running. But not this week. Immigration continues to dominate the political universe here in Westminster.
Earlier this week, measures were introduced to cut the legal levels of migration.
It is important to remember that we rely in immigrant workers across our economy and it is right that we should allow migrant workers to fill in gaps where needed. But the measures look at closing possible loopholes and opportunities for gaming the system.
For example, it has been possible for employers to secure cheap migrant labour before offering jobs to local workers. So minimum salary levels have been hiked from £26,200 for migrant workers to £38,700. Similarly, the 20% salary discount for what is known as “shortage occupation” workers will now be removed and a more formal list of shortage occupations will replace it.
But a lot of the migration has been workers bringing dependents with them. From early next year, migrants coming to fill jobs can only bring dependents if their salary reaches a higher threshold. Care workers cannot bring dependents at all and all care work will need to be required under Care Quality Commission roles, in order to avoid those coming to bogus jobs.
These measures will make sure that only those who are needed, or who can be independently supported by those we need, can come to the UK.
New measures are also coming to tackle illegal migration. These are the measures being brought in to tackle the boats from France – the Rwanda deportations.
Let’s be perfectly clear: no one wants to send anyone to Rwanda. The proposals are designed to break the business model of the criminal people-smugglers.
For up to $10,000, criminals offer a package. They will get the customer, the potential illegal migrant, to sign up to the service that offers trafficking to the UK, where the Government will put up the migrant in a three or four star hotel, provide legal advice, for as long as it takes to secure a visa. $10,000 looks like good value. But if the Government presents the high probability that the gangs’ potential customer will end up in Kigali, that puts a very different light on the offering.
Time will tell whether these actions will work. But they seem pragmatic.