Consultation - Annual limit on economic migration to the UK

Response due: 7 September 2010

Summary

On 20 May the Coalition Government published a paper which made a commitment to introduce
an annual limit on the number of non-EU economic migrants admitted to the UK to live and work.
The paper states “We will introduce an annual limit on the number of non-EU economic migrants
admitted into the UK to live and work. We will consider jointly the mechanism for implementing the
limit.”

On 28 June the Government launched a consultation on the limits on non-EU economic migration,
through Tiers 1 and 2 of the Points Based System. It is consulting on how limits should be
implemented, including the mechanism for doing so. At the same time, the Government
commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to provide advice on the levels at which limits
should be set for the first full year of their operation, and in doing so, to consider the social
and public service impacts of migration as well as the economic impacts. The Government
has asked the Committee to provide this advice by the end of September.

Next steps

Semta will be responding to this consultation, utilising our knowledge of skills demands and shortage occupations in science, engineering and manufacturing technology sectors.

Documents and Links

Consultation document
Semta represents the views of our employers across government and the media. If you are an employer in the science, engineering, or manufacturing technology sectors we welcome your views at policy@semta.org.uk

15 July 2010