Harsh new plans to reduce immigration include making firms list foreign workers
Home Secretary Amber Rudd yesterday made a wide-ranging speech (excerpt below) to the Conservative party conference saying that the Government would not waver in its commitment to put the interests of the British people first, which means reducing net migration back down to "sustainable levels".
Image credit: UK GovernmentThe Independent reported that a new immigration crackdown to achieve such levels would target students, taxi drivers and EU criminals, but it was Government plans to make companies reveal how many foreign staff they employ that drew the most media headlines.
According to the Telegraph, Rudd revealed that UK companies could be forced to publish the proportion of "international" staff on their books in a move which would effectively "name and shame" businesses which are failing to take on British workers. The Times used the headline 'Firms must list foreign workers'.
Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham responded to Rudd's apparent plans to make employing foreign workers a source a shame by saying on Twitter: "Sorry, but no, we're not having this."
While Rudd had said in her speech that she wanted Britain to continue to ensure it attracted "the brightest and the best" migrants, the Sydney Morning Herald took the view that Britain was signalling a "harsh new policy" that would effectively shut the door to international students and foreign workers.
In response to Rudd's speech, Josh Hardie, Deputy Director-General of the CBI, said: "it is … time to be clear about the value of migration to the UK, as well as its challenges. Businesses will not welcome further restrictions on high skilled migration from key trading partners around the world, especially as a series of changes were only announced earlier this year. At a time when we need strong links globally to seize new opportunities after the referendum, being seen as open to the best and brightest is vital. And we should be clear that business does not see immigration and training as an either/or choice. We need both."
The Institute of Directors said in response: " The evidence is clear that migrants are a benefit to the economy. The UK has a record level of employment, so immigration is not hurting jobs … It was frustrating to hear the Home Secretary sticking to the arbitrary ‘tens of thousands’ target, which has no connection to the skills the UK needs or the actual impacts of migration. Amber Rudd all but admitted that it was an impossible target to meet, so holding herself to it can only continue to undermine trust in politicians on this issue. The Home Office also must not try to make employers do the work of government. Small companies do not have the expertise or know-how to vet immigration applications."
The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, posted on Twitter: "We seem to have woken up with a UKIP government. Depressing doesn't even begin to cover it". Conservative MP Nick Boles said on Twitter that the reporting on Rudd's proposal for foreign workers had been "absurdly distorted".
Rudd, speaking on LBC this morning, defended her plans, saying that she didn't view them as an "attack" on foreign workers: "What we're trying to do here is have a consultation with business in which we're asking them whether they are doing enough to train people locally, rather than automatically recruiting from abroad." She told Radio 4 that making firms publish details of foreign workers was "not something we're definitely going to do".
The full section on immigration in Rudd's speech is excerpted below:
Now, the British people sent a clear message in the referendum
There can be no question that recent levels of immigration motivated a large part of the vote.
But concerns about immigration did not just spring up out of nowhere.
Twenty years ago levels of immigration weren't really an issue in British politics.
As net migration has risen, that has changed.
I've seen why as a Member of Parliament for Hastings and Rye.
Hastings is a seaside town that has experienced relatively high levels of migration over the past two decades.
That's led to legitimate concerns around the pressures put on housing, public services and wages.
The Prime Minister recognised this, and took action to reduce net migration in the areas she could when she was in my position.
And now as Home Secretary it is my responsibility to do the same, and to make sure people's concerns are addressed.
As you know, the Conservative Party was elected on a Manifesto commitment to reduce net migration to sustainable levels.
This means tens of thousands, not the hundreds of thousands.
And my commitment to you today is that I'll be working with colleagues across Government to deliver this.
But I am also here to level with you Conference… This will not happen overnight.
Leaving the EU is just one part of the strategy.
We have to look at all sources of immigration if we mean business.
Now, a lot has improved since 2010.
From annual net migration under Labour rocketing almost five-fold.
The Conservative-led coalition stopped 875 bogus colleges bringing in overseas students, tackled abuse of student visas, and reformed the family system.
And I would like to recognise my predecessor's action in driving these changes through.
Since then she has been freed from the shackles of the Coalition.
Without Nick Clegg and Vince Cable there to hold her back she, passed new Conservative legislation to make sure that immigrants heading to these shores are going to make a positive contribution.
My job is to press on with implementing this legislation.
So today, I am announcing that from December, landlords that knowingly rent out property to people who have no right to be here will be committing a criminal offence. They could go to prison.
Furthermore, from December, immigration checks will be a mandatory requirement for those wanting to get a licence to drive a taxi.
And from next autumn, banks will have to do regular checks to ensure they are not providing essential banking services to illegal migrants.
Money drives behaviour, and cutting off its supply will have an impact.
However, the difference between those arriving and those leaving is still too substantial.
I believe immigration has brought many benefits to the nation. It has enhanced our economy, our society and our culture.
This is why I want to reduce net migration while continuing to ensure we attract the brightest and the best.
Because it's only by reducing the numbers back down to sustainable levels that we can change the tide of public opinion … so once again immigration is something we can all welcome.
So, I can announce today, we will shortly be consulting on the next steps needed to control immigration.
We will be looking across work and study routes.
This will include examining whether we should tighten the test companies have to take before recruiting from abroad.
British businesses have driven the economic recovery in this country, with employment at record levels.
However we still need to do more … so all British people get the opportunities they need to get on in life.
The test should ensure people coming here are filling gaps in the labour market, not taking jobs British people could do.
But it's become a tick box exercise, allowing some firms to get away with not training local people. We won't win in the world if we don't do more to upskill our own workforce.
It's not fair on companies doing the right thing. So I want us to look again at whether our immigration system provides the right incentives for businesses to invest in British workers.
We will also look for the first time at whether our student immigration rules should be tailored to the quality of the course and the quality of the educational institution.
I'm proud that we have world-leading centres of academic excellence. It's a testament to our country's proud history and our top universities' ability to evolve.
But the current system allows all students, irrespective of their talents and the university's quality, favourable employment prospects when they stop studying.
While an international student is studying here, their family members can do any form of work.
And foreign students, even those studying English Language degrees, don't even have to be proficient in speaking English. We need to look at whether this one size fits all approach really is right for the hundreds of different universities, providing thousands of different courses across the country.
And we need to look at whether this generous offer for all universities is really adding value to our economy.
I'm passionately committed to making sure our world-leading institutions can attract the brightest and the best. But a student immigration system that treats every student and university as equal only punishes those we should want to help.
So our consultation will ask what more can we do to support our best universities - and those that stick to the rules - to attract the best talent … while looking at tougher rules for students on lower quality courses.
This isn't about pulling up the drawbridge. It's about making sure students that come here, come to study.
We're consulting because we want to work with businesses and universities to get this next stage of our reforms right.
But I also come here today with a warning to those that simply oppose any steps to reduce net migration: this Government will not waver in its commitment to put the interests of the British people first. Reducing net migration back down to sustainable levels will not be easy. But I am committed to delivering it on behalf of the British people.
So work with us, not against us, and we'll better control immigration and protect our economy.
Systems evolve. We have to adapt. Our consultation will do that.
While we are still members of the EU, there are things we can get on with immediately.
And there are things which the EU is currently considering which we can support, particularly those measures to tackle crime and terrorism.
Many of them were our ideas in the first place.
So we are going to overhaul our legislation to make it easier to deport criminals and those who abuse our laws.
By setting out in legislation what is in the fundamental interests of the UK, we will make it easier to deport EU criminals, aligning their fortunes more closely with those from outside the EU.
And going one step further, for the first time, we will deport EU nationals that repeatedly commit so-called minor crimes in this country.
So-called minor crime is still crime – its pain is still felt deeply by victims.
Well, those criminals will face being banned from coming back to the country from between 5 and 10 years.
That delivers on a very clear manifesto pledge.
And today I can tell you that I will deliver on another one.
Conference - you might have heard that Jeremy Corbyn wants the Government to bring back a migration fund Gordon Brown introduced after Labour let immigration spiral out of control.
Jeremy Corbyn seems to think it's a substitute for taking action to reduce immigration.
Well if there's one thing we don't need, it's policy advice from the man who almost bankrupted Britain … and the man that wants to do it all over again
Labour's fund was ineffective and focused funding on migrants rather than the pressures caused by migration.
Money was spent on translation services, rather than English lessons.
Councils were given money to promote recycling, rather than the support they needed to ease housing pressures.
So instead we will deliver on our manifesto commitment and set up a new £140m Controlling Migration Fund – designed specifically to ease the pressures on public services in areas of high migration.
And at the same time it will implement strategies to reduce illegal immigration.
The fund will build on work we have done to support local authorities …to stop giving housing benefit to people that have no right to be in the country … to reduce rough sleeping by illegal immigrants … and to crack down on the rogue landlords who house illegal migrants in the most appalling conditions.
And for those that are here legally, we will provide more English language support. And with it, the obvious benefits of being able to join the way of life in the country they have chosen to call home.
So Conference today I am setting out how we will get immigration under control.
In the long term, by reducing the numbers that come from Europe.
In the mid-term, by reforming the student and work route of entry.
And, in the short term, taking action to help communities affected by high levels of immigration, and stopping people coming here that threaten our security.
As your Home Secretary, my primary concern is protecting our way of life, and delivering the security measures we require to ensure this.
In a fast-moving world, we need to move in concert with new technologies and the threats they can pose, adapting our responses rapidly.
I want people who seek to damage our way of life to know that we are tireless in supporting the police, and the security and intelligence services that keep us safe.
The people who do these jobs work long hours, in challenging conditions, often with little praise or thanks, frequently at risk to themselves… and for all our benefit.
This is the definition of public service. A service that we should all be extremely grateful for."