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| Cameron Pledges Tighter Rules for Immigrants | Cameron Pledges Tighter Rules for Immigrants |
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| LONDON — Prime Minister David Cameron promised more stringent rules Monday to reduce outsiders’ access to social, health and housing benefits, reflecting a debate over the potential impact of increased immigration from southeast Europe that could fuel a rightist challenge to his dominant Conservative Party. | |
| The prospect that citizens from Bulgaria and Romania could gain unfettered access to the British labor market under European rules has raised alarms among some Britons about competition for jobs, strengthening anti-immigrant sentiment and helping fuel the insurgent United Kingdom Independence Party. | The prospect that citizens from Bulgaria and Romania could gain unfettered access to the British labor market under European rules has raised alarms among some Britons about competition for jobs, strengthening anti-immigrant sentiment and helping fuel the insurgent United Kingdom Independence Party. |
| Romanians and Bulgarians gain full access to Britain’s job market next January. The debate in Britain is particularly vociferous because officials hugely underestimated the number of immigrants who would arrive after eight other formerly Communist nations joined the European Union in 2004. | Romanians and Bulgarians gain full access to Britain’s job market next January. The debate in Britain is particularly vociferous because officials hugely underestimated the number of immigrants who would arrive after eight other formerly Communist nations joined the European Union in 2004. |
| In a speech to a university audience in Ipswich, eastern England, Mr. Cameron prefaced his remarks by praising generations of previous immigrants, saying “our migrant communities are a fundamental part of who we are and Britain is a far richer and stronger society because of them.” | |
| “We’re rolling out the red carpet to those whose hard work and investment will create new British jobs.” But, he added later in his speech: “When it comes to illegal migrants, we’re rolling up that red carpet and showing them the door.” | |
| “While I have always believed in the benefits of immigration, I have also always believed that immigration has to be properly controlled,” Mr. Cameron said. “Net migration needs to come down radically from hundreds of thousands a year to just tens of thousands. | “While I have always believed in the benefits of immigration, I have also always believed that immigration has to be properly controlled,” Mr. Cameron said. “Net migration needs to come down radically from hundreds of thousands a year to just tens of thousands. |
| “And as we bring net migration down so we must also make sure that Britain continues to benefit from it. That means ensuring that those who do come here are the brightest and the best the people we really need with the skills and entrepreneurial talent to create the British jobs and growth that will help us to win in the global race.” | “And as we bring net migration down so we must also make sure that Britain continues to benefit from it. That means ensuring that those who do come here are the brightest and the best the people we really need with the skills and entrepreneurial talent to create the British jobs and growth that will help us to win in the global race.” |
| His words drew a sharp response from pro-immigration advocacy groups. “This rhetoric may curtail rights to benefits on a minor scale, but relatively few migrants compared with ‘indigenous’ people actually claim benefit anyway,” said Habib Rahman, head of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants. “The real effect of this speech will be to further increase the intolerance and the hostile reception that immigrants are facing from some sections of society.” | |
| As specific measures, Mr. Cameron proposed limiting the period in which foreign job-seekers could claim state benefits to six months “unless they can demonstrate they have actively sought work throughout that period and have a genuine chance of finding work.” | As specific measures, Mr. Cameron proposed limiting the period in which foreign job-seekers could claim state benefits to six months “unless they can demonstrate they have actively sought work throughout that period and have a genuine chance of finding work.” |
| He also said benefits would be withheld from outsiders who were not entitled to work in Britain. | He also said benefits would be withheld from outsiders who were not entitled to work in Britain. |
| “Ending the something-for-nothing culture needs to apply to immigration as well as welfare,” Mr. Cameron said, drawing a parallel between measures to be imposed on immigrants and huge cuts in welfare spending on Britons themselves that the government has devised under its austerity program to counter its debts. European migrants, he said, would be given “a very clear message: Just like British citizens, there is no absolute right to unemployment benefit.” | “Ending the something-for-nothing culture needs to apply to immigration as well as welfare,” Mr. Cameron said, drawing a parallel between measures to be imposed on immigrants and huge cuts in welfare spending on Britons themselves that the government has devised under its austerity program to counter its debts. European migrants, he said, would be given “a very clear message: Just like British citizens, there is no absolute right to unemployment benefit.” |
| The curbs, he said, will extend to social housing. “We will introduce an expectation on councils to introduce a local residency test in determining who should qualify for social housing,” Mr. Cameron said. “This would mean someone would have to live in an area for say two or five years before they could even go on the waiting list.” | The curbs, he said, will extend to social housing. “We will introduce an expectation on councils to introduce a local residency test in determining who should qualify for social housing,” Mr. Cameron said. “This would mean someone would have to live in an area for say two or five years before they could even go on the waiting list.” |
| On Britain’s creaking state health service, Mr. Cameron said: “We want to stop the expectation that our health service is free to the entire world and we will take new steps to ensure the National Health Service can claim back money that is owed for National Health Service treatment provided to those not entitled to it. | On Britain’s creaking state health service, Mr. Cameron said: “We want to stop the expectation that our health service is free to the entire world and we will take new steps to ensure the National Health Service can claim back money that is owed for National Health Service treatment provided to those not entitled to it. |
| “We should be clear that what we have is a free National Health Service, not a free International Health Service." | “We should be clear that what we have is a free National Health Service, not a free International Health Service." |
| The debate in Britain has changed sharply over the past decade. In 2004, when Poland and seven other East European nations joined the European Union, Britain opened its job market to them immediately. A study commissioned by the government at the time suggested that 5,000 to 13,000 people from the new member states combined would arrive annually through 2010. In fact, the 2011 census showed 521,000 Polish-born people listed as residents in Britain, with the vast majority having arrived after 2004. | The debate in Britain has changed sharply over the past decade. In 2004, when Poland and seven other East European nations joined the European Union, Britain opened its job market to them immediately. A study commissioned by the government at the time suggested that 5,000 to 13,000 people from the new member states combined would arrive annually through 2010. In fact, the 2011 census showed 521,000 Polish-born people listed as residents in Britain, with the vast majority having arrived after 2004. |
| Because of that miscalculation, Britain exercised its right to impose temporary work restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians after their nations joined the E.U. in 2007. Those restrictions expire at the end of this year. | Because of that miscalculation, Britain exercised its right to impose temporary work restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians after their nations joined the E.U. in 2007. Those restrictions expire at the end of this year. |
| Critics of Mr. Cameron’s approach point out that, since Romanians and Bulgarians have been permitted to enter Britain freely since 2007, and to work if they can secure permits, many of those who wish to come are already there. | Critics of Mr. Cameron’s approach point out that, since Romanians and Bulgarians have been permitted to enter Britain freely since 2007, and to work if they can secure permits, many of those who wish to come are already there. |
| Some academics argue, moreover, that immigrants from Eastern Europe are mainly young people, eager to work, who can contribute more to the economy than they take in social benefits. | Some academics argue, moreover, that immigrants from Eastern Europe are mainly young people, eager to work, who can contribute more to the economy than they take in social benefits. |
Stephen Castle reported from London and Alan Cowell from Venice. | Stephen Castle reported from London and Alan Cowell from Venice. |