The pledge of a limit proved a key vote winner during the election and was repeated in the Coalition agreement last month. The limit is expected to be announced today.
A temporary limit on some migrant workers will be imposed with almost immediate effect while a consultation is carried out on how a more permanent cap can bring about significant reductions in migrant numbers. “We will see, but I expect it to be a cosmetic gesture that has little effect on the market” said Chris Slay of Skills Provision “Ironically it should be good for my business that concentrates on bringing skilled workers from Eastern Europe”
It comes after the plan was criticised by some business leader who fear it will make it harder for them to recruit the necessary skilled workers.
However, David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has promised to bring net immigration, which is currently 176,000 a year, down from “hundreds of thousands to tens of thousands” and an annual cap is the only realistic prospect of achieving that.
A total of 190,640 foreign workers and dependants moved to Britain last year, despite unemployment hitting 2.5 million.
It emerged earlier this month that more than 1.1 million jobs, half the total created under Labour, were taken by immigrants who could have been refused work permits.
The non-EU migrants were handed the work permits despite there being hundreds of thousands of Britons out of work.
A classic case of political own goals, that the English football would have been proud to have scored, but that’s another story.
Author: Chris Slay
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