Press Archives

Monday 7 February 2005

Response by the Joint Council of Immigrants to Government proposals on immigration:

Habib Rahman, JCWI's, Chief Executive, said:

On asylum:

"Restricting asylum seekers' initial leave to remain is a retrograde step which leads us question the Government's commitment to its refugee integration strategy. Just how are people granted asylum expected to develop a commitment to British society if there is doubt as to whether they will remain? These proposals could make it more difficult for them to plan for the future, to embark on a career, to obtain housing and to create stable relationships."

Work permit holders:

"The UK should be putting out the welcome mat, not sounding like there's no more room at the inn. We have extremely low unemployment and the UK needs to compete in a global market for the best workers, high-or low-skilled.

"We question whether restricting right of leave to remain and refusing appeal for entry clearance for family members of permit holders will make much difference to the figures. The vast majority of people who come here to work do not apply for indefinite leave to remain. As the rules only allow them to bring in their spouse and children, there are no grounds for appeal for other family members. The major growth in people coming here to work consists of 12-month permit holders who have no right to have their families join them.

"But these two announcements are no less damaging for the lack of content. Together with immigration fee hikes and discriminatory registering of foreign nationals on the national identity card register, they risk sending the message to the best workers that they are not really wanted here. In the long-term Britain will be the loser, not the rest of the world."

Statistics follow:

Statistics: Source Table 3:1 Home Office Control of Statistics 2003

• In 2003 there were 9,185 foreign nationals, excluding EEA nationals, who had been working with a permit in the UK for longer than four years who were granted the right to settle here. 10,610 spouses and dependents of such foreign nationals were also given the right to settle. This compares to a total figure of 139,675 grants of settlement for all purposes.
• There are two other groups of people who received employment-related rights to settle: they included 1,550 independent business persons who do not require permits and 5,270 Commonwealth citizens with patrial links. They brought in 1,045 and 1,946 spouses and dependents respectively.
• Persons entering the UK with a permit to work for 12 months or less have no rights to family reunion. In 2003 the number of total work permits rose in the 12-month permit category from 2,775 to 36,870 while work permits for longer periods fell by 7,045 to 44,480.
• So the number of foreign nationals with the right to work longer than 12 months and the right to apply for entry clearance for their spouse and dependents is actually falling in relation to the number of permit holders generally.
• The largest increase is in extensions to existing permits for work and training which rose 22,905 to 83,990.
• The number of dependents of people working here overall has risen by 3,335 to 37,830 but this does not mean that they will all apply to settle.