Boris to ditch ‘£30k job for a visa’ scheme

Criteria for migrants is ‘ludicrous’

MINISTERS are poised to scrap plans for a ‘ludicrous’ £30,000 salary threshold for new migrants.

Boris Johnson told the Cabinet yesterday a new points- based immigration system will slash the number of low-skilled workers coming to this country.

Ministers are turning against plans drawn up by Theresa May to refuse them entry unless they have the offer of a job paying at least £30,000.

One Cabinet source yesterday described the proposed threshold as ‘absolutely ludicrous’. They said it was a blunt instrument which could turn down talented young migrants in sectors suffering skills shortages.

Instead, the Migration Advisory Committee (Mac), which advises ministers on immigration, is expected to propose a sophisticated points-based system in which salary is only one factor.

At Cabinet yesterday, the PM set out the ‘key guiding principles’ which will underpin the new immigration system.

He gave a cast iron commitment that unskilled immigration would be reduced under the new system while the overall number of people moving to the UK would also be cut.

A government source said ministers wanted to see lowskilled immigration fall to much lower levels.

Asked about the future of the £30,000 threshold, the PM’s official spokesman suggested Mr Johnson was looking at something ‘slightly different’.

He added: ‘That is something we asked Mac to do a separate piece of work on and I would expect that to be published shortly as well. I think it is worth pointing out that that obviously reflects the immigration system set out by the former government.

‘The Prime Minister is looking at an Australian- style pointsbased system which is something slightly different.’

The spokesman said Mr Johnson had told the Cabinet the ‘public have been clear they want us to end freedom of movement and take back control of our borders and it is our duty to deliver on this promise’.

‘The PM said that the key guiding principles of the new system would be taking back control, unleashing global talent and attracting the brightest and the best, and reducing unskilled immigration,’ the spokesman added.

Downing Street also said it would abandon proposals for a two-year transition arrangement on immigration, which was considered by Mrs May.

The new immigration system will come into force on January 1 next year. After this point, new arrivals will only be able to enter Britain if they have the offer of a job which would give them enough points to get a visa. Final details will not be decided until March.

But criteria are likely to include salary, age, ability to speak English and skills identified as being in short supply.

Business leaders have warned a clampdown on low- skilled migration could lead to shortages in some sectors.

But ministers have warned firms they need to train more British workers instead of relying on cheap imported labour.

Legislation on the scheme is likely to be published in March.

‘Aussie-style points system’