Legal News

The Institute of Directors has come out in favour of Labour’s proposed immigration policy if the party is elected in the May 2015 General Election.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told a fringe event at the Labour Party Conference in Manchester on Wednesday (24/09/14) that under a Labour government, the UK’s immigration target would be scrapped.

Conservative immigration policy aims to reduce net migration to below 100,000 a year – the Labour Party is calling on the government to exclude international students from immigration targets.

Ms Cooper said the Conservative Party’s immigration target had “completely distorted” the government’s immigration policy – and had led to a “squeeze” on certain groups wishing to come to live, work and study in the UK, including overseas students. Ms Cooper said that current government policy on immigration was unfair because it treated different types of immigration in the same way.

Senior Tory Lord Heseltine has also called for the government to exclude overseas students from immigration figures because of the economic benefits they bring to the UK.

The Home Office has said that overseas students are included in net migration figures because of the impact they have on communities and public services.

However, in August, Lord Heseltine told the BBC that, while he supports a “rigorous” immigration policy:

“The public do not see students who come and go as part of the immigration problem.”

Leading British inventor Sir James Dyson also called for the brightest engineering graduates from overseas to be given employment visas at graduation ceremonies to ensure Britain retains the best engineers it trains.

Following Ms Cooper’s speech, director general of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Simon Walker praised Labour for its pro-business “stance” regarding immigration in the UK. Mr Walker said:

“Businesses will be very glad to hear that Labour understands their concerns on immigration.

“The current approach is not working – Britain’s universities are one of our most successful exports, with students from outside the EU contributing billions of pounds every year to the economy; but the government’s policies have led to a drop in the number of foreign students for the first time in 30 years.

“IoD members are also worried that treating international students like other migrants will limit their ability to get the skilled staff they need.
“It’s not just about skills,” Mr Walker added. “We’re concerned that a negative approach to students is damaging the UK’s links with the rest of the world – particularly developing economies like India and China.
“Students from these countries don’t just help our trade balance – they build business and diplomatic links, which help Britain to strengthen its position as an open, trading nation.”

Duncan Lewis Immigration Solicitors

Duncan Lewis immigration solicitors can advise migrants to the UK from EU Member States and from non-EU countries on a wide range of immigration matters, including:

• Asylum & asylum appeals
• British citizenship
• Fast-track Detention process
• Housing Benefit
• Illegal entry to the UK
• Marriage in the UK
• Right to work in the UK
• Spouse & partner visas
• Student visas
• Visa overstays.

For expert legal advice on immigration law and asylum in the UK, contact Duncan Lewis immigration solicitors on 020 7923 4020.

For urgent advice on UK immigration – including fast-track detention – call the Duncan Lewis Emergency Hotline on 020 7275 2036, where an immigration lawyer is available 24/7.