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| Migration settlement rights to be cut says Home Office | Migration settlement rights to be cut says Home Office |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| By Dominic Casciani BBC News home affairs correspondent | By Dominic Casciani BBC News home affairs correspondent |
| Proposals to cut the number of migrants allowed to settle permanently in the UK have been published by the Home Office. | Proposals to cut the number of migrants allowed to settle permanently in the UK have been published by the Home Office. |
| In future, only a "tightly controlled minority" from outside the European Union will be allowed to stay for more than five years. | In future, only a "tightly controlled minority" from outside the European Union will be allowed to stay for more than five years. |
| Ministers say they are also considering stopping wealthy business people staying on after five years. | Ministers say they are also considering stopping wealthy business people staying on after five years. |
| The move is part of the government's pledge to cut net migration to tens of thousands by the end of the Parliament. | The move is part of the government's pledge to cut net migration to tens of thousands by the end of the Parliament. |
| Ministers have already announced an immigration cap affecting skilled workers from outside the European Union and plans to restrict students. | Ministers have already announced an immigration cap affecting skilled workers from outside the European Union and plans to restrict students. |
| The government also says dependants of visa applicants may have to pass an English test. | |
| In a written parliamentary statement, Immigration Minister Damian Green said: "We intend to break the automatic link between coming to the UK to work and settling here permanently. | In a written parliamentary statement, Immigration Minister Damian Green said: "We intend to break the automatic link between coming to the UK to work and settling here permanently. |
| "In 1997, there were fewer than 10,000 employment-related grants of settlement; by 2010, that number had risen to over 84,000. | "In 1997, there were fewer than 10,000 employment-related grants of settlement; by 2010, that number had risen to over 84,000. |
| "We need to be more selective about who we allow to stay." | "We need to be more selective about who we allow to stay." |
| The key proposals in the 12-week consultation include only allowing temporary residence for skilled workers, ending the assumption that anyone who comes to the UK can ask to stay after five years. | The key proposals in the 12-week consultation include only allowing temporary residence for skilled workers, ending the assumption that anyone who comes to the UK can ask to stay after five years. |
| However, ministers say they could make exceptions for workers earning more than £150,000 or if they were in eocnomically important jobs. | However, ministers say they could make exceptions for workers earning more than £150,000 or if they were in eocnomically important jobs. |
| Another proposal is to ban non-EU domestic workers - people who work in private homes in jobs including cooks and nannies. | Another proposal is to ban non-EU domestic workers - people who work in private homes in jobs including cooks and nannies. |
| The government is also considering limiting the rights of wealthy entrepreneurs or highly-qualified business people to settle. | The government is also considering limiting the rights of wealthy entrepreneurs or highly-qualified business people to settle. |
| 'Disruption' warning | 'Disruption' warning |
| Adam Marshall of the British Chambers of Commerce warned the policy could backfire. | Adam Marshall of the British Chambers of Commerce warned the policy could backfire. |
| "Britain's migration system must protect our economy as well as our borders," said Dr Marshall. | "Britain's migration system must protect our economy as well as our borders," said Dr Marshall. |
| "Turfing out valuable migrant workers who are turned down for settlement would be incredibly disruptive to companies of all sizes and to the UK's economic recovery. | "Turfing out valuable migrant workers who are turned down for settlement would be incredibly disruptive to companies of all sizes and to the UK's economic recovery. |
| But Sir Andrew Green of pressure group Migrationwatch UK said: "We think this is exactly the right approach. We have to strike a balance between the needs of industry and the need to get the numbers down. | But Sir Andrew Green of pressure group Migrationwatch UK said: "We think this is exactly the right approach. We have to strike a balance between the needs of industry and the need to get the numbers down. |
| "Clearly employers need skilled labour from overseas but in principle our view is that should be temporary, while British workers are trained for those jobs." | "Clearly employers need skilled labour from overseas but in principle our view is that should be temporary, while British workers are trained for those jobs." |
| But Scott Blinder of Oxford University's Migration Observatory expert group told BBC Radio 5Live: "We won't really see much of an impact [in this policy] on the government's ambitions to cut net migration by the end of the Parliament. | But Scott Blinder of Oxford University's Migration Observatory expert group told BBC Radio 5Live: "We won't really see much of an impact [in this policy] on the government's ambitions to cut net migration by the end of the Parliament. |
| "There are broader forces that create demand among employers for migrant labour. | "There are broader forces that create demand among employers for migrant labour. |
| "[The proposed changes] may end up squeezing one end of the balloon and the other pops up - it's not a given that departing [non-EU skilled workers] will be replaced by British workers." | "[The proposed changes] may end up squeezing one end of the balloon and the other pops up - it's not a given that departing [non-EU skilled workers] will be replaced by British workers." |
| Shadow Home Office Minister Shabana Mahmood said: "We support reform in this area, which is why the Labour Government introduced tough changes to the settlement regime through our policy of Earned Citizenship. Unfortunately the Government abandoned this work. . | Shadow Home Office Minister Shabana Mahmood said: "We support reform in this area, which is why the Labour Government introduced tough changes to the settlement regime through our policy of Earned Citizenship. Unfortunately the Government abandoned this work. . |
| "However, changes to the settlement regime are only effective if they are backed up by strong and consistent enforcement of the rules. The Government has imposed a 20% cut on the UKBA budget, which will mean the loss of over 5000 jobs. It is inevitable that enforcement will suffer as a result." | "However, changes to the settlement regime are only effective if they are backed up by strong and consistent enforcement of the rules. The Government has imposed a 20% cut on the UKBA budget, which will mean the loss of over 5000 jobs. It is inevitable that enforcement will suffer as a result." |