Legal News
Migrants May Be Required To Earn £35,000 to Permanently Settle In Britain (10 November 2011)
Date: 10/11/2011
Plans to cut the number of skilled migrants who are granted the freedom to settle in Britain permanently have been unveiled by Government advisors. The proposals have been designed to cut net migration from its current yearly total of 60,000 to 20,000. This drastic cut would be achieved by allowing only high-earning migrants to stay in Britain. Those with a minimum annual salary of between £31,000 and £39,000 would be allowed to settle on a permanent basis. The proposals have been highly criticised by both businesses and universities who warn that talented staff may be deterred from entering Britain for the purposes of work.
Professor David Metcalf, who chairs the Government’s Migration Advisory Committee, claimed that “sound economic” explanations existed to justify the introduction of the restriction. He claimed that by reducing the number of migrants who settled in Britain permanently, the number of temporary skilled workers entering into the country could be increased. Professor Metcalf believes that Britain's GDP may fall in the event that a reduced number of skilled migrants came to work in Britain. However, he claims that Britain’s GDP would not fall if more temporary workers were allowed to enter into the country. Over 200,000 individuals are currently allowed to settle in Britain each year. Government ministers are aiming to reduce this by introducing a five-year limit for individuals on working visas in order to cut annual net migration to less than 100,000.
Duncan Lewis’ managed migration department boasts an outstanding success rate. The department is careful to only accept cases that they feel have proper merit. Their managed migration solicitors therefore ensure that their clients’ money is well spent.