UK imposes new permanent immigration quota

[Ginto]

Source: AP

LONDON – Britain will impose a tough annual limit on the number of non-Europeans allowed to work in the U.K. and slash visas for overseas students as it seeks to dramatically reduce immigration, the government said Tuesday.

Home Secretary Theresa May told the House of Commons that the number of non-EU nationals permitted to work in the U.K. from April 2011 will be capped at about 22,000 — a reduction of about one-fifth from 2009.

But thousands of people who are allowed to work in Britain on intracompany transfers aren't included in those figures — or under the new quota. Critics said that means it's unclear how Prime Minister David Cameron's government will meet a pledge to cut net immigration, which also includes students and families of visa holders, to below 100,000 by 2015, from about 196,000 last year.

"We can't go on like this, we must tighten up our immigration system," May told legislators as she announced details of the new rules.

Public anxiety over immigration — and the burden on public services caused by new arrivals — was a key issue during the country's national election, when then-leader Gordon Brown was angrily challenged by an elderly voter over workers arriving from eastern Europe.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/eu_britain_immigration_cuts

[Rage for Order]

1. Wow, the U.K.'s bigotry against brown people is in full display

Gotta keep out them furriners, the other

[kiva]

2. Right, because all EU residents are white.

And all non-EU residents are brown. You really need to educate yourself about Britain's immigration policy before you play the "Oh noes, they're racist!" card.

[emilyg]

3. Thank you. You beat

me to it.

[Rage for Order]

4. Who are they referring to then?

From the article in the OP:

May said those seeking a marriage visa will in the future need to prove they have a minimum standard of English.

Her ministry will also develop plans to drastically reduce Britain's foreign student population, likely allowing entry only to those working on college degrees, or more advanced qualifications.

She told lawmakers there would be a more stringent regime to check the credentials of schools that offer visas to overseas students. Police and security officials have recently raised concerns over the education system being targeted by terrorists to gain permission to live in Britain.

I wonder what countries of origin they think these would-be terrorists are coming from, and what color they may be? Maybe they're flying in from the south of France? Switzerland, perhaps? No, definitely Austria.

[kiva]

5. There are several Americans on DU, and many other people I know,

that want to emigrate to the UK but cannot because of immigration restrictions. We are not part of the EU, hence Americans immigration will also be limited by this change.

And yes, the Brits have been having a problem with people applying for student visas simply to get into the country, then staying.

[jaybeat]

7. Yes, we're stuck on this sinking ship and can't get off

After visiting a friend in Scotland this summer, my kids and I would move there in a second. But no-can-do. Even if I wanted to come over as a self-employed person, I'd need almost $400K cash in hand to qualify as an "entrepreneur."

Oh, and I'm as white as the driven snow, so I honestly don't think it's about race. The Tories won't raise taxes on the wealthy, so they're cutting back on social services. Only they can't do that much or they'll get voted out. (Brit voters aren't nearly so dumb as we are, most of the time.) So they're trying to close the gates behind them to keep what they've got. Can't blame them, but I expect the banksters will come after them, too, eventually. (You didn't think they'd stop with Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain, did you? Effective social-welfare programs anywhere in the world are a threat to their hegemony and personal wealth, so it's only a matter of time before they declare that the "markets" are forcing a choice between "austerity" and collapse, for the UK and everywhere else.)

Sigh.

[kiva]

8. I hope the Brits are smarter than we are -

even if it means that my friends can't immigrate, I'd like to see the UK salvage a reasonably good system. A few years ago a friend in Wales had breast cancer; she survived due to surgery and chemo, but said she couldn't imagine having to worry about paying medical bills while she was recovering. There's more to the UK system than just the NHA, but her words really bring home to me the difference of living in a country that has a responsive social welfare system, and living in the U.S.

[pampango]

13. The will be apply to everyone, but are targeted at those from the subcontinent and Africa

who immigrate from former British colonies in large numbers. (Unfortunately, the UK does not count the US as a "former colony" when it comes to immigration privileges. We should have been more patient, like Canada, about the whole "independence" thing. :) )

Poll taxes and tests in the American South during Jim Crow applied to everyone by the letter of the law (and may have disenfranchised a few poor whites to make things look "fair") but they were targeted at African Americans to keep them from voting. Just because immigration restrictions may seem "fair" and apply to everyone that doesn't mean that they will not have a disparate effect on people of color (and quite intentionally so - remember these are conservatives enacting this legislation).

[enlightenment]

6. The point is that non-EU countries are not

JUST nations that are primarily 'brown'.

The United States is a non-EU country. To suggest that this is a policy designed to keep out ONLY 'brown' people is uninformed, at best.

As for terrorists, you pulled one comment out of one article. Try following the entire debate for awhile and you'll notice that it isn't just about terrorism or other security fears.

Or you can continue to be convinced you know all about it based on one comment in one article.

Whatever.

[bhikkhu]

9. I think Island nations are more realistic about population limits than others

...not that the article places it in that context, but I have seen more "carrying capacity" type analyses from Britain than elsewhere. Of course limiting immigration isn't any kind of a solution to population problems "outside", but it is one tool a national government has to manage the best interests of its citizenry.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

10. The UK Conservative government never liked non whites or any foreigners

remember Enoch Powell?

[pampango]

12. Yep. No surprise this is happening under a the new UK Conservative government.

Conservatives in Europe are good at playing the anti-immigrant card (an easy card to play in almost any country on any continent) to win votes. This shifts the blame for economic problems from the economically powerful to those pesky "others" which suits the rich folks just fine. (Don't look at the man behind the curtain! Watch out for those people who talk with an accent!)

Come to think of it, conservatives in the US are playing the same card (Secure the border! Keep the tax cuts for everyone!) while trying to maintain tax cuts for the rich and seeking to cut "entitlements" and other already-weak safety net programs.

What would conservatives do if they didn't have immigrants to bash as a diversion from their own responsibility for our problems? :)

[Turborama]

11. "Public anxiety over immigration — and the burden on public services caused by new arrivals"...

...who are mostly from Europe. I saw the BBC's "Secret Millionaire" the other day and there was a couple from Poland who had come over to Britain to have babies because the husband couldn't find work in Poland. That's just one example but I have family and friends in England and have heard many similar stories. There are a lot of Polish people (and other Europeans) in Britain who work very hard, of course. However, there are also a lot of immigrants from mostly newly joined countries who are going there to take advantage of the school, health and welfare system. That's the core problem.

Asylum seekers and refugees have to go through a very strict vetting system before they can get the tiny amount of assistance available. Illegal immigrants can't claim any benefits. Neither can non European spouses of British citizens.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[truebrit71]

15. Bye!!!!

"Muzzy"....:eyes:

[MrScorpio]

16. Is that what they told you before you escaped from the Loony Bin?

I think that they're calling you back

[Turborama]

17. Whoa! What did I miss?

Sounds like it was enlightening.

[StarsInHerHair]

18. so if I married a U.K. guy I'd have no access to their social

services? -----> "Neither can non European spouses of British citizens" I am American, but it sounds like I'd be a second-class citizen if I lived over there. I don't know how to read that any other way, Michael Moore made the U.K. seem really nice & France as well. But....

[Turborama]

19. If you married a UK guy and wanted to move there, you'd have to follow their very strict rules

One of them is that, to get in, your husband would have to prove that he can support you without having to rely on "public funds".

http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&&sa=X&ei=ViDuTJjhI8-XcfKrqaIK&ved=0CBQQvwUoAQ&q=UK+Border+Agency+spouse+visa&spell=1

I know this because I have friends who are going through the application process.

[StarsInHerHair]

20. wow, I had no idea-they never mention this in their tourism ads

nt

[Nihil]

21. You check tourism ads for marriage & benefit information?

:wtf: