HOME OFFICE News
Release (074/2007) issued by The Government News Network on 18 April 2007
Immigration
Minister Liam Byrne, today unveiled the timetable for introducing
the UK's tough new Australian-style points based system for
migration, during a fact finding visit to Sydney.
The new scheme, which will be phased in from early 2008, will
enable the British Government to manage migration to the UK more
effectively, tackle abuse and attract the most talented workers
into the UK economy.
The announcement came as Mr Byrne was given a tour of
Australia's border controls by Australian Immigration
Minister Kevin Andrews after attending the fourth annual Four
Country Conference on immigration hosted by the Australian
Government, which was also attended by representatives from the
United States and Canada.
Key issues under discussion include: the challenges of removing
illegal immigrants, using new technology to facilitate global
travel and the exchange of immigration information on war criminals.
"Migration has to support Britain's national interests.
A new Australian style points based system will be simpler,
clearer and easier to enforce. Crucially it will give us the best
way of letting in only those people who have something to offer Britain.
"With the exception of an elite group of highly skilled
migrants all other foreign workers or students will need a UK
sponsor to vouch for them and help us make sure they are playing
by the rules. A new £20 million network of Border and Immigration
Agency officers will be making the checks.
"Meanwhile, the discussions taking place in Australia with
the United States, Canada, and Australia will help us work
globally to tackle the global phenomenon of illegal immigration
and make it easier for legal travellers to move quickly"
Britain's new simplified, secure system for managing
migration will work alongside measures designed to secure the
UK's borders which will be the subject of discussion at the
conference. The new system, which will allow migrants to come to
the UK under one of five tiers replacing more than 80 existing
routes of entry, will begin its rollout at the beginning of 2008.
* Tier 1 of the system, which caters for highly skilled migrants
such as scientists and entrepreneurs, will be launched at the
beginning of 2008;
* Tier 2, targeting skilled workers with a job offer and Tier 5,
for youth mobility and temporary workers, will come on line in the
third quarter of 2008; and
* Tier 4, for students, will follow at the beginning of 2009.
A system of sponsorship by employers and educational institutions
to ensure compliance with the immigration rules is also being
introduced as part of the new system at the beginning of nextr
year. Controlling migration to the UK through a new simplified,
secure system, fits alongside ongoing activity to tighten up the
UK's immigration controls. This includes implementing new
technology to record simply and effectively details of passengers
intending to enter or leave the UK before they begin their
journey, and the strengthening of the UK's visa system.
Notes to editors
1. Key elements of PBS include:
* consolidating more than 80 existing work and study routes into
five tiers:
tier 1 - highly skilled, e.g. scientists or entrepreneurs;
tier 2 - skilled workers with a job offer, e.g. nurses, teachers, engineers;
tier 3 - low skilled workers filling specific temporary labour
shortages, e.g. construction workers for a particular project
tier 4 - students; and
tier 5 - youth mobility and temporary workers, e.g. working
holiday makers or musicians coming to play a concert.
* points to be awarded to reflect aptitude, experience, age and
also the level of need in any given sector, to allow the UK to
respond flexibly to changes in the labour market;
* a system of sponsorship by employers and educational
institutions to ensure compliance;
* financial securities for specific categories where there has
been evidence of abuse to ensure that migrants return home at the
end of their stay; and
* the ending of employment routes to the UK for low-skilled
workers from outside the EU except in cases of short-term shortages.
2. Last month the Home Office also announced that it will be
setting up a Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to advise
Ministers on where migration might sensibly fill gaps in the
labour market.
3. The Government also announced a new Migration Impacts Forum
(MIF) to provide information on the wider impacts of migration on
local communities and how best to ensure public services can
respond and community cohesion can be retained.