Tories expected to move forward with immigration reform

Published 15th May 2015

Following the Conservative election victory, David Cameron is expected to move forward with a promise to reform the UK’s immigration system.

The Conservative Manifesto pledges tighter restrictions to welfare in an attempt to reduce net migration. Notably, migrants will not be eligible for benefits, such as working tax credits and social housing, until they have lived in the UK for a minimum of four years.

Non-EU migrants are set to face even tougher restrictions, including stricter rules on student visas and non-EU spouses.

In a bid to reduce the number of immigrants claiming benefits, in 2012 the Coalition government introduced legislation requiring non-EU migrants to earn a minimum of £18,600 per year before being eligible to sponsor a spouse visa.

David Cameron has also pledged to tighten border control and introduce a 20,700-person annual cap on non-EU migrants, with the ‘ambition’ to reduce total net migration to under 100,000 per year by slashing benefits for immigrants from the EU.

However, the Conservative’s plans to curb immigration from Europe would have to be part of a new EU treaty, as member states are required to provide social benefits to EU citizens.

The Coalition government carried out several measures to reduce net migration, including banning housing benefit for EU jobseekers and restricting marriage visas.

But despite a 2010 pledge to cut annual migration to the ‘tens of thousands’, net migration stood at 290,000 in 2014 - its highest rate since 2005.

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