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UK Imposes Annual Cap on Non-EU Immigrants: Impact on Indian Professionals and British Trade

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The UK's David Cameron-led government has introduced a new measure to limit non-EU immigration, citing the need to minimize abuse of the immigration system and tackle human trafficking. The annual cap will likely affect Indian professionals, as the majority of non-EU migrants to the UK come from India. Campaign groups, such as the Highly Skilled Migrants Forum, have already announced opposition to this limit, warning that it will hurt the British economy and be opposed by British business and industry. The government plans to introduce bonds for non-EU students before they arrive in the UK, with the bond amount to be returned upon completion of their studies.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UK government has introduced a new measure to impose an annual cap on non-EU immigrants, with the aim of minimizing abuse of the immigration system and tackling human trafficking.
  • The cap is likely to affect Indian professionals, as most non-EU migrants to the UK come from India, according to Amit Kapadia, director of the Highly Skilled Migrants Forum.
  • Campaign groups, including the Highly Skilled Migrants Forum, have announced opposition to the limit, warning that it will hurt the British economy and be opposed by British business and industry.
  • The government plans to introduce bonds for non-EU students before they arrive in the UK, with the bond amount to be returned upon completion of their studies.
  • The new limit will be introduced as part of the coalition agreement between the Conservative party and Liberal Democrats, which also includes measures to tackle human trafficking and reform of the UN Security Council.
  • The UK government has committed to forging a 'new special relationship' with India, as announced in the coalition agreement, which also supports India's membership to the UN Security Council.

Statistics:

  • In 1990, the overall net immigration in the UK was around 70,000 every year, while in 2009 the figure was nearly 150,000 (Amit Kapadia, director of the Highly Skilled Migrants Forum).
  • The Conservative party had favored reducing net immigration to the levels of the 1990s - "tens of thousands a year, instead of the hundreds of thousands every year under the Labour government".
  • The coalition agreement mentions the introduction of an annual limit on the number of non-EU economic migrants admitted into the UK to live and work (Government of the United Kingdom).

Sources:

  • "UK Imposes Annual Cap on Non-EU Immigrants", Asian Tribune, May 21.
  • Interview with Amit Kapadia, director of the Highly Skilled Migrants Forum.
  • "Coalition Agreement between the Conservative party and Liberal Democrats" (Government of the United Kingdom).
  • "Britain's new coalition government committed itself to forge a 'new special relationship' with India", Asian Tribune, May 21.

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