Responding to the publication today of the new Immigration White Paper, British Future Director Sunder Katwala said:
‘The mixed messages today from the Government about this White Paper reflect the tug-of-war on immigration between Sajid Javid’s focus on welcoming skills and Theresa May’s emphasis on tough controls over who can come to Britain. Being more open to skilled and student migration will chime with the public. Below the £30,000 threshold, these proposals are a bit tougher than most voters would want: people want to control low- and medium-skilled migration, rather than to end it. Stopping care workers coming to Britain would be unpopular.
The White Paper contains mixed messages on integration too. Sajid Javid is clear that integration matters – but the focus on temporary low-skill migration makes that harder. 12 month visas that can’t be renewed prevent people settling and integrating’.
British Future coordinated the National Conversation on Immigration, the biggest-ever public consultation on immigration, together with Hope not hate. Comprising over 130 meetings with local citizens and stakeholders in 60 locations across every nation and region of the UK, together with an online survey of 10,000 people and nationally representative research by ICM, it offers a comprehensive evidence base of public views on immigration.
;
