Source
r/LabourUK•
LabourTCB

Ideas for Immigration Policy...

Starmer should commit the party to reforming the Tory's new immigration rules to move away from a one size fits all wage requirement and towards industry specific policies.

The most obvious case where this is applicable is the health and social care sectors. We could also highlight the hypocrisy of the Tories labelling our "keyworkers" as "unskilled".

I also believe we should try to make it easier for existing and new immigrants to become citizens. Personally I'd be in favour of reducing the residency requirement to 3 years and providing existing residents without good English skills with subsidised language lessons (which could be incorporated into the wider adult education aspects of the National Education Service plan).

To 'sell' this later idea we could present it as helping immigrants to more easily integrate into British society.

Any thoughts?

Posted Apr 10, 2020, 1:08 PM UTC

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LexiteerLabour 🌹 | Leave•

and providing existing residents without good English skills with subsidised language lessons

Yeah, no thanks.

I like the idea of reducing residency requirement, but subsidised language lessons is never going to go down well.

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[deleted]•

I don't really see how it would be an issue to have language lessons to improve integration. The government already has similar schemes right now:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-to-benefit-from-new-english-language-programmes

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alexgmcmLabour Member•

I'd just language classes part of the National Education Service.

So native speakers can learn other languages if they want and those who feel they need to improve their English can do so.

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[deleted]•

The wage threshold is abhorrent in its current state. Sadly, until a narrative of the benefits of immigration can be digested by the general public I don't imagine any great changes coming soon. The issue has become a religion and a source of all problems for critics of it that i don't see any great reform coming on either side.

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InvestmentBanker19New User•

How on earth is the wage threshold a bad thing?

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alexgmcmLabour Member•

I'm not against it in the general case - but in my opinion spousal/family visas should be exempt.

There are cases of people who are married to engineers, doctors etc. but can't get a spousal visa because only the income of the person based in the UK counts.

Equally, there are cases where people have lived here for decades and can't bring over their elderly parent to help care for them (I guess economically that might make sense but it's pretty barbaric)

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Creme_EggsNew User•

I say copy the Canadian system of immigration, requiring all immigrants to have proof of good English by undertaking the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) during the process and adding your score to the points based system.

I would also add a regional element to the points based system were immigrants opting to immigrate to region with less immigration (North East, South West, Yorkshire and Humber etc as opposed to London and South East) get more points.

In addition, have something like the Atlantic Immigration Pilot that Canada has making it easier for immigration to the Maritime Provinces, can use such a scheme to have more immigration to say the devolved nations.

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ObviouslyTriggeredNew User•

You already need to pass an English exam for most migrant visas, and you need one for an ILR.

The problem so far has been quite a bit of cheating in many test providers in Asia and the Middle East.

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DodgyDoner☭Another Civil War☭•

hypocrisy of the Tories labelling our "keyworkers" as "unskilled".

What's hypocritical there.

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CryptoDollaDollaBillMLBA•

Ever picked vegetables? It's backbreaking work that does actually require skills.

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NordicSocialDemocratNew User•

There are more Sudanese doctors in London than in the whole of Sudan. The immigrant workers in NHS are great for the UK, but terrible for the poor countries that need those workers more. Most doctors in countries like Haiti move abroad, mostly to western countries.

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nivenkosLabour Member•

I agree with you completely, also I'd make it easier for families to be together, right now even British families get split up due to the Draconian requirements of 6 months proof of wages, submitting proof of relationship to the Home Office, etc.

Unfortunately Starmer is weak and definitely won't want to rock the boat on immigration where there is such pressure to reduce numbers at any cost and look tough in the papers.

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