Priti Patel takes hard line ...
The Home Secretary outlined the new Tory immigration policy this week. In the biggest change to immigration since William stepped off the boat in Hastings, Priti Patel was in no mood to pull punches.
"Today is a historic moment for the whole of the country. We are ending free movement, taking back control of our borders and delivering on the people's priorities by introducing a new UK points-based system which will bring immigration numbers down."
EU and non EU citizens will be treated equally. High skilled workers like scientists, academics and engineers will be prioritized. Skilled workers will be allowed in under a points system with points awarded for language, education and a job offer above a salary floor of £25,600.
Fruit pickers and other seasonal farm workers will be accommodated. Farmers will be allowed to recruit 10,000 low skilled workers from outside the EU to harvest, flowers, fruit and vegetables. Farm workers from Eastern Europe will have to pick their own fruit from now on.
Not everyone was convinced by the change in policy. Fears of recruitment problems in construction and care came to the fore. Carolyn Fairbairn, Director General of the CBI, warned against the ending of low skilled immigration. "In some sectors, firms will be left wondering how they will recruit the people needed to run their business".
Health and health care were immediate cause for concern. "The proposals would negatively impact the sector and will not meet the health and care needs of the population" said Dame Donna Kinnair, the Chief Executive of the Royal College of Nursing.
This week, the ONS announced a further fall in unemployment and a rise in vacancies. With 1.3 million out of work, a rate of 3.8%, unemployment is at a 45 year low. The employment rate has never been higher. The number of vacancies in the economy increased to over 800,000.
8.5 million are inactive and could be put to work given the right encouragement and training by business according to Patel. That sounds an awful lot of resource. Unfortunately for the Home Secretary, 2.3 million are students, 1.9 million are looking after family or home, over 1.1 million are retired and 2.1 million have long term illness.
"Rise, take up thy sick bed and work" is the Patel Patois. The good news, 1.9 million of the economically active want a job allegedly. The just don't like the look of the 800,000 vacancies currently on offer apparently ...
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