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Brexiters are missing the point of Australian-style immigration Brexiters are missing the point of Australian-style immigration
(35 minutes later)
It has always been a bit of a mystery why the British Tory leave ccampaigners want to introduce an Australian-style immigration system that is designed to grow that country’s population and which even Migration Watch has said would be a disaster. It has always been a bit of a mystery why the British Tory leave campaigners want to introduce an Australian-style immigration system that is designed to grow that country’s population and which even Migration Watch has said would be a disaster if copied in Britain.
For the reality is that the “points-based” skilled migrant route that the Brexiters focus on accounted for only 15% of the 482,000 new immigrants to Australia in the last year.For the reality is that the “points-based” skilled migrant route that the Brexiters focus on accounted for only 15% of the 482,000 new immigrants to Australia in the last year.
Related: What is Australia's points-based immigration system?Related: What is Australia's points-based immigration system?
Australia has a population of 23 million – just over one-third of Britain’s – and if its immigration system were to be scaled up to be used in Britain it would imply annual immigration to Britain rising to nearly 1.5 million or more. So such a policy would actually double immigration to Britain.Australia has a population of 23 million – just over one-third of Britain’s – and if its immigration system were to be scaled up to be used in Britain it would imply annual immigration to Britain rising to nearly 1.5 million or more. So such a policy would actually double immigration to Britain.
Net migration to Australia stood at 187,000 at the most recent count, proportionately three times higher than Britain as the Australian government tries to grow its population through immigration. Net migration to Australia stood at 187,000 at the most recent count, proportionately three times higher than that to Britain, as the Australian government tries to grow its population through immigration.
This is surely not what Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have in mind when they talk about introducing Ukip’s policy of an Australian-style immigration system into Britain. But maybe they are not too well acquainted with the detail of how it works. This is surely not what Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have in mind when they talk about introducing Ukip’s policy of an Australian-style immigration system for Britain. But maybe they are not too well acquainted with the detail of how it works.
However, their announcement has already played well for them, making sure the word “immigration” coupled with the “Anglo-Saxon” image of Australia is firmly in the headlines for another few days of the EU referendum campaign.However, their announcement has already played well for them, making sure the word “immigration” coupled with the “Anglo-Saxon” image of Australia is firmly in the headlines for another few days of the EU referendum campaign.
But then it is not so long since the Conservatives when in opposition criticised Labour after it introduced a points-based system for skilled migration into Britain from outside the EU. The reason they complained was that it was open-ended and would do nothing to cap the numbers coming to Britain.But then it is not so long since the Conservatives when in opposition criticised Labour after it introduced a points-based system for skilled migration into Britain from outside the EU. The reason they complained was that it was open-ended and would do nothing to cap the numbers coming to Britain.
For that is the essence of the Australian system. While there is a points-based system for skilled migrants, any employer who wants to recruit overseas staff can sponsor someone on a temporary visa. And they do. That is the essence of the Australian system. While there is a points-based system for skilled migrants, any employer who wants to recruit overseas staff can sponsor someone on a temporary visa. And they do.
While only 90,000 permanent visas are issued each year for work, family and humanitarian reasons, including 40,000 skilled workers, more than 260,000 arrive each year on temporary visas, including for work, study and long-term visitors. The temporary nature of the problem means Australia has a problem with overstayers, with one of the larger groups being illegal British migrants.While only 90,000 permanent visas are issued each year for work, family and humanitarian reasons, including 40,000 skilled workers, more than 260,000 arrive each year on temporary visas, including for work, study and long-term visitors. The temporary nature of the problem means Australia has a problem with overstayers, with one of the larger groups being illegal British migrants.
As Alp Mehmet of the anti-migration group Migration Watch UK has put it: “A points-based system might suit the Australians who are trying to increase their population but, in fact, it is extremely complex and would be a non-starter for the UK. Yet another rehash of such a system would be a disaster.”As Alp Mehmet of the anti-migration group Migration Watch UK has put it: “A points-based system might suit the Australians who are trying to increase their population but, in fact, it is extremely complex and would be a non-starter for the UK. Yet another rehash of such a system would be a disaster.”
But do the leave campaign have a point when they say it would bring to an end the unlimited migration from the EU that Britain currently cannot control because of freedom of movement?But do the leave campaign have a point when they say it would bring to an end the unlimited migration from the EU that Britain currently cannot control because of freedom of movement?
It is wrong to say that Britain has no control over its border with the rest of the EU. It is wrong to say that Britain has no control over its border with the rest of the EU. More than 6,000 undesirable EU nationals have been turned back at the UK border since 2010. Britain, as a European country, has made a decision to be part of the EU’s free movement policy. It could choose not to, but it doesn’t mean it has no control over EU migration.
More than 6,000 undesirable EU nationals have been turned back at the UK border since 2010. Britain, as a European country, has made a decision to be part of the EU’s free movement policy. It could choose not to but it doesn’t mean it has no control over EU migration.
Related: Brexiteers, and their national press backers, play the migration cardRelated: Brexiteers, and their national press backers, play the migration card
Withdrawing would mean imposing a visa regime on the rest of the EU and with likely retaliation for all the Brits who work abroad in the bloc. It would particularly hamper the 410,000 short-term British migrants who live and work abroad – double the number of those who come here – who would also likely face, as Andy Burnham points out, £800-a-time visa charges. Withdrawing would mean imposing a visa regime on the rest of the EU and probable retaliation against all the Brits who work abroad in the bloc. It would particularly hamper the 410,000 British short-term migrants who live and work abroad – double the number of those who come here – who would probably face, as Andy Burnham points out, £800-a-time visa charges.
But Johnson and Gove make one exception. The Irish would be exempt as part of the common travel area that seems to pretend that Ireland is still some kind of pre-1921 British appendage rather than another modern European country. But Ireland would not impose a similar visa regime on the rest of the EU and so would be a wide open backdoor to illegal EU migration to Britain. Johnson and Gove make one exception. The Irish would be exempt as part of the common travel area that seems to pretend that Ireland is still some kind of pre-1921 British appendage rather than another modern European country. But Ireland would not impose a similar visa regime on the rest of the EU and so would be a wide-open backdoor to illegal EU migration to Britain.
So rather than today’s headlines about Gove and Johnson promising to “slash immigration” they perhaps should have read Brexiters’ mass ”open backdoor” migration policy. And it really is a mystery if secretly that is what they want. So rather than today’s headlines about Gove and Johnson promising to “slash immigration”, perhaps they should have read “Brexiters back ‘open backdoor’ migration policy”. And it really is a mystery if secretly that is what they want.