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General election 2019: Conservatives promise 'equal' immigration system General election 2019: Conservatives promise 'equal' immigration system
(about 8 hours later)
The Conservatives have set out more details of their plans for immigration after Brexit, saying migrants will be treated equally regardless of where they come from. The Conservatives have set out plans for an "equal" immigration system after Brexit as Jeremy Corbyn said he still expected a "great deal" of movement of people from the EU to the UK.
The cost for migrants to use the NHS would also rise, while the rules on claiming benefits - which currently favour EU nationals - would change. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab set out plans to change the rules on benefits which EU nationals can claim in time if they live and work in the UK.
The Tories say they want the "brightest and best" from around the world. But he said there would be no arbitrary target for total immigration levels.
But business leaders say they need access to workers of all skill levels. The Labour leader said immigration was vital for growth and public services.
Labour is yet to announce its immigration policy, but it is expected to be released in the party's manifesto on Thursday. In a BBC interview, Mr Corbyn defended the principle of free movement, which lets EU citizens travel, live, study and work in any member country but which is currently set to end at the start of 2021.
And the Lib Dems are pledging a "fair, effective" immigration system if elected - with plans to resettle 10,000 unaccompanied refugee children a year. Migration from the EU and the rest of the world, had "enriched" the country, he said, and he wanted a close economic relationship with the EU to continue.
The Conservative government has already promised that, after Brexit, immigration rules would apply to EU nationals and non-Europeans in the same way. Pressed on whether this would involve retaining freedom of movement of people, he said immigration would form part of Labour's Brexit renegotiation if it won the election negotiation, but added "there will be a great deal of movement".
Earlier this week, party leader Boris Johnson also said that if he won the election, he would try to reduce the number of so-called "unskilled" migrants coming into the UK. He said people will have to wait until Labour's manifesto is published on Thursday for more details.
Announcing more details of their immigration policy on Sunday, the Conservatives said freedom of movement - which lets EU citizens travel, live, study and work in any member country - would end in the UK in January 2021. The Conservatives have said from the start of 2021, when the post-Brexit transition period ends, immigration rules will apply to EU nationals and non-Europeans in the same way, with no preferential treatment for any group.
The "vast majority" of migrants would need a job offer to come to the UK to work - although there will be a "small number of exceptions" for example high-skilled scientists. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said that if he won the election, he would try to reduce the number of so-called "unskilled" migrants coming into the UK.
The issue of immigration has slipped down the list of voter concerns since the Brexit referendum, now at its lowest point for almost two decades.
However, with public services stretched and the NHS under particular pressure, the Conservatives want to respond to the argument that people from overseas add to the burden on the welfare state.
Extending the immigration health surcharge to EU as well as non-EU migrants after the end of free movement is logical, but increasing the charge by 56% carries risks.
The UK government is hoping foreign workers can fill desperate shortages of staff in health and social care. But nurses, doctors and carers are less likely to move to Britain if there are rising costs for them on arrival. Last week, the Tories promised to make it cheaper for foreigners coming to work in the NHS by reducing the cost of a visa. Today's announcement appears to do the opposite.
The Conservatives say they would introduce an Australian-style points-based system, which would consider migrants' skills and whether they meet certain criteria.
In recent years, the party had a long-standing goal - first introduced by David Cameron and also a promise in the 2017 election manifesto - to cut net migration to less than 100,000 a year. But the government never came close to meeting the target and faced repeated calls to drop it.
Announcing more details of their immigration policy on Sunday, the Conservatives said the "vast majority" of migrants would need a job offer to come to the UK to work - although there will be a "small number of exceptions" for example high-skilled scientists.
Rules on claiming benefits will be "equalised", meaning that like other migrants, EU citizens would have to wait five years before they can access benefits and will not be able to send child benefit payments abroad.Rules on claiming benefits will be "equalised", meaning that like other migrants, EU citizens would have to wait five years before they can access benefits and will not be able to send child benefit payments abroad.
And the immigration health surcharge - the payment charged to migrants to use the NHS - would apply to all migrants, both EU and non-EU, and would be raised from £400 to £625 a year.And the immigration health surcharge - the payment charged to migrants to use the NHS - would apply to all migrants, both EU and non-EU, and would be raised from £400 to £625 a year.
"As we come out of the EU we have a new opportunity for fairness and to make sure all those who come here are treated the same," said Mr Johnson. Mr Johnson said: "As we come out of the EU we have a new opportunity for fairness and to make sure all those who come here are treated the same".
Home Secretary Priti Patel added that after Brexit, "immigration will finally be subject to democratic control, allowing us to get overall numbers down". And Mr Raab told the BBC's Andrew Marr show that the Conservatives wanted to "bring down the volume of immigration" but would "not fix an arbitrary target" about what level of immigration it believed was necessary.
Meanwhile, writing in the Mail on Sunday, Michael Gove said it was "unfair that people coming from European countries can access free NHS care without paying in while others make significant contributions". Speaking to Andrew Marr, Mr Corbyn said a future Labour government would not "turn its back" on migration from the EU, given its economic value to the UK, but deflected questions on whether it could continue in its current form.
"Our country is made stronger by welcoming people with talent from across the globe," he added. The BBC's Iain Watson said there had been a disagreement at a key meeting on Saturday - when Labour's ruling body approved the party's manifesto - on whether to incorporate Labour's conference policy of extending freedom of movement for workers.
"But it's not right that people from Bulgaria and Slovenia can come here without any controls and have automatic rights that people from Bangladesh and Singapore do not." Mr Corbyn said freedom of movement would continue if voters back Remain in the new referendum pledged by Labour.
But if voters back Leave, Labour would introduce its own immigration policy. As the party wants a close relationship with the single market, it recognises there would be high levels of labour mobility.
But this, he added, would be underpinned by stricter regulation of the employment market to prevent migrant workers "undercutting" employees here and to stop migrants being exploited.
'All skill levels needed''All skill levels needed'
Responding to the plans, business leaders said it was important that companies still had access to the workers they needed. Responding to the parties' plans, business leaders said it was important that companies still had access to the workers they needed.
Matthew Fell, from the Confederation of British Industry, said there was "concern that the focus of a new system is so squarely on skills".Matthew Fell, from the Confederation of British Industry, said there was "concern that the focus of a new system is so squarely on skills".
"The UK has labour shortages that must also be filled," he said. "The UK has labour shortages that must also be filled," he said. "A new approach must be just as open to workers who pick, process and transport the food we eat as the architects needed to build new homes and schools," he said.
"A new approach must be just as open to workers who pick, process and transport the food we eat as the architects needed to build new homes and schools," he said. Tom Ironside, from the British Retail Consortium, said any immigration system must ensure the industry was "able to access workers across all skills levels in sufficient numbers".
"Business and government need to work together to train UK workers while developing an open but controlled immigration system that grows our economy."
Meanwhile, Hannah Essex from the British Chambers of Commerce said "access to skills at all levels is essential".
A "flexible and simple immigration system" is needed that "allows firms to recruit the people they need at all skills levels, including temporary, seasonal and permanent roles," she added.
The head of the Food and Drink Federation, Ian Wright, also called for an immigration system which "ensures easy access to the workers we need, at all skill levels", while Tom Ironside, from the British Retail Consortium, said any immigration system must ensure the industry was "able to access workers across all skills levels in sufficient numbers".
The Conservatives say they would introduce an Australian-style points-based system, which would consider migrants' skills and whether they meet certain criteria.
In recent years, the party had a long-standing goal - first introduced by David Cameron and also a promise in the 2017 election manifesto - to cut net migration to less than 100,000 a year.
But the government never came close to meeting the target and faced repeated calls to drop it.
When draft proposals for a new immigration system were published last year, the target of 100,000 was left out.
Earlier this week, Ms Patel said the Tories would "look to reduce the numbers" of immigration through better controls but would not set "arbitrary" targets.
Labour has yet to announce its policy on immigration.
But Jeremy Corbyn has said he would commit to "a fair immigration process that recognised the huge contribution made by migrant workers to this country".
"We have got to be realistic about the needs of our economy for bringing workers in, skilled workers in to help us," he added.
An SNP spokesman said earlier this week that cutting immigration would be "hugely damaging" for the Scottish economy and called the issue to be devolved to the Scottish government.An SNP spokesman said earlier this week that cutting immigration would be "hugely damaging" for the Scottish economy and called the issue to be devolved to the Scottish government.
And the Lib Dems are pledging a "fair, effective" immigration system if elected - with plans to resettle 10,000 unaccompanied refugee children a year.