Tory immigration cap will threaten industry claims council

The much publicised proclamation by the Conservatives that they will reduce annual immigration by 75 percent will create major dilemmas across the UK according to the Joint Council for the Welfare of immigrants.

David Cameron’s bold claims, which dominated media this past week, have been denounced by the JCWI who argue that thousands of jobs will be threatened and industry may suffocate under the lack of an unskilled workforce. The present regulations, sure to be ramped up by the Tories, seek to ensure that predominantly high-skilled workers only are let in to the UK.

Habib Rahman, the Chief Executive for JCWI, has labelled the incumbent scheme as pandering to highly skilled workers – something sure to continue under a potential new Conservative government. Rahman has also questioned the Tory philosophy that current immigration levels are placing strains on British public services, pointing out that many professionals in areas such as nursing, healthcare, teaching and social services were trained or born offshore. He went on to add under EU legislation the political and legal ramifications of prohibiting people from EEA nations from travelling to Britain may be significant and constricting.

Rahman has also said that specialised industry and the NHS have all benefitted from immigration and that an arbitrary cap on numbers will suffocate business. This could result in sick people missing out on treatment or elderly people going without care.

In 2005, 17 percent of the UK’s economic growth was attributed to immigration. Add to that that nearly half of nurses and one-third of doctors and dentists are from overseas and the country’s coffers and services received a massive boost. There is also the question of overseas students injecting up to £5 billion each year into the local economy.