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Signalling a major shift in the Labour government's immigration policy, the Prime Minister vowed to "stem rising tide of migration". He said his government plans to restrict the points based system for determining which migrants can work in Britain.
"One of the reasons that immigration will fall is the tightening of the new points system and it will continue to tighten over the next few months," Brown told the 'Daily Mail' in an interview ahead of a major speech on immigration on Thursday.
Even as insisting that immigration had been a source of "economic, social and cultural strength" for Britain, Brown said the points-based system, introduced last year to control the entry of non-EU citizens to the UK by grading incomers on the skills they can offer the country, would be further toughened up.
In a major policy change, Brown is expected to announce that the door is being closed to non-EU hospital consultants, civil engineers, aircraft engineers and ship's officers, the report said.
"I know people worry about whether immigration undermines their wages and the job prospects of their children and they also worry about whether they will get a decent home for their families," he underlined.
Brown pledged to tighten the new points-based entry system before the next general election in June next year as large-scale immigration had put key public services in the country under severe strain and may be turned into a key electoral issue by the right wing anti-immigrant parties.
The Labour government has faced controversy as local doctors have struggled to find employment.
Last week, Home Secretary Alan Johnson admitted ministers had failed to grasp growing public concern about the pressures on jobs and public services.
"I understand people's concerns when they hear suggestions that levels of immigration are going to rise. Especially in difficult economic times, people have concerns," said Brown, who is preparing for a tough electoral battle with the Conservative Party which is ahead in most opinion polls.
He said the British citizens want "to be assured that the system is tough and fair". "They want to be assured that newcomers to the country will accept their responsibilities...obey all the laws, speaking English is important, making a contribution," he underlined.
"We ask people to show that they abide by our laws, we ask people to show that they understand our constitution and our democracy, we ask people to show that they understand the values of liberty, fair play and responsibility," Brown was quoted as saying by the British tabloid.
Brown said the latest assessments were that net migration, which hit more than 290,000 in 2005, has fallen by more than 40 per cent over the last year - and pledged it would fall further.
He said this is "not an arbitrary cap". "We are going to be setting out a programme for making sure that we in Britain can train our British young people and British workers who are looking for jobs," Brown underlined.
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Majority of Indians whatever their qualifications be it Doctors, Engineers still have to migrate to the gulf, UK, US in search of better pay.The bottom line is that there are too many qualified professionals in India and not enough jobs, so there's no choice but to migrate.It is also said that a number of Doctors and Engineers graduating from third grade colleges are not fit for employment.India may take another 100 years before every single person finds a middle class standard of living like that in the west.For the UK, blocking professionals may not be the answer to their immigration problem as most comming in are unqualified illegals and refuugees from across the channel or eastern Europe.It is those people who are bringing down the standard of living in the UK.
The unemploymnent rate amongst Indians in the UK is seven percent higher than it is for whites (17%). Amongst other Asians (mainly Pakis and Bangladeshis) the figure is as high as 25%, for blacks it is 20%, for eastern europeans it is 15% while for British born whites it is only 10% . So the idea that immigration benefits us is a lie. Most immigrants come here to take advantage of the perks offered by our socialist government, not to do work which is in short supply in any case. As for Indians in the medical profession, this is nothing to be especially proud of, given that under qualified staff have resulted in medical failures becoming the UK's third leading cause of death. The reason we want to keep out third world immigrants is because of the detrimental effect it has on our quality of life: mass welfare dependency, criminality (endemic amongst south asians in the UK), the loss of culture (churches destroyed to build mosques), terrorism, dual loyalty, the list goes on
The British is scared of foreign national coming to UK and are in a better position. Most of the Local in Britian are only involved in are sex,drugs and gambling. Where they got time to go to universities. 90% of the Locals are taking drugs or involved in crimes. The youth of Britian are feeling insure and are jealous of Asian community for their culture and family unity. Above all most of the British people want easy money and how they can bully people at work.
What they say is, hey Indians, please pay hefty to our universities, buy our goods, technology, equipment and lift our economy. But wait, do not dream of benefiting from the economy, we will not hire you for professional services, we will not allow you to stay in our country after you have paid up. If you still insist to stay, make coffee and curry for us, drive our taxis, take care of our chores so that we can "freely" go-around and enjoy lives.
I agree with your comments and it's not just Britan look at the racial discrimination news from Australia too. But as Indians it's time we question why are we letting the world treat us this way, why are we not demanding our goverment to provide us the infrastruture, the systems to grow in our own country. Why do I have to go sell my intellectual to a set of arrogant B^&@#*%$. if we build industries such as Health tourism in India the best of medical professionals will not live India and it will be a slap on the face of all such racist arrogance when they will have short supply of medical professionals. It's a question of ingenuity, till we don't stand up for ourselves and demand respect we will tolerate such racial nonsense
Indian doctors and professionals are well respected world over. Wonder why these people have to struggle in the UK? The US is not like that. They value you for what you are. BTW, there is no job security anywhere but India fares much better when it comes down to that. You can blame Brown either. Let's face it. Language is a HUGE barrier in the EU and Indians dont go to countries like Italy or Denmark in great numbers. Britain being a small country cannot accomodate so many migrants. That said, the US may have other rules in the system.
Keep on harssing qualified foreign born doctors and UK will be joining the ranks of developing hell holes, like some of the countries in Africa. Remember trade brought riches to England, now you shut door on people movement and other countries will do the same to your goods.
The champions of Free market economy and Capitalism seem to be heading towards a restrictive and protectionist economy; Countries such as India and China should impose restrictions on British goods and services to enable asian and local entreprenuers and discouraging western businesses.
Exactly. But do we have such gutsy leaders with us? No. Till, we get good leaders, lets as Indian avoid buying UK stuffs as long as feasible.
Our so called leaders are a bunch of rats. I would rather appreciate the Chinese for the tough stand they take on such issues.Carrefour of France was one such case.
INDIAN PHYSICIANS&PROFESSIONALS ARE BEING USED AS "coolies"BY THE BRITISH EVEN NOW.ABOUT TIME INDIANS WAKE UP &STAND UP TO THAT REALITY.THEY ARE MUCH BETTER TO TRY TO REACH USA FOR BOTH BETTER ECONOMIC&PROFESSIONAL PROGRESS.