Home Office experts slate points-based immigration

PLANS for a points- based immigration system have been dismissed as a ‘soundbite’ by the Government’s advisers.

During the election the Conservatives pledged to bring in the ‘brightest and best’ migrants by awarding credits for qualifications and skills.

But Professor Alan Manning, chairman of the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), said: ‘The Government has to have soundbites to summarise their immigration policy.

‘But there has to come a point where we say how are we going to translate that into rules.’

MAC is an independent panel of experts appointed by the Home Secretary to propose changes to immigration.

The committee said its plan – due to start in a year – would reduce migration, but also dent GDP. Instead of being fully based on points, it proposed the current route for skilled workers already holding a job offer should continue. Those migrants would be required to earn a minimum salary of £25,600 – £4,400 lower than the current threshold. It proposed a points system only for skilled workers without a job offer.

Amid signs of a rift with the Home Office, there was uncertainty last night over how many of the MAC’s recommendations would be adopted.

Alp Mehmet, of Migration Watch UK, said: ‘These dangerous proposals would see the main route for work having much lower salary and qualification levels than apply to non-EU migrants now. Jobs will no longer need to be advertised first in the UK.’

Health think-tank the Nuffield Trust said the scheme would make it almost impossible for people to migrate to most frontline social care jobs.

‘Dangerous proposals’