UK PM hints at softening of UK immigration cap

United Kingdom, 27th October: David Cameron, the UK Prime Minister has hinted at a softening of his proposed cap on UK immigration for migrants hailing from outside the European Union.

Meanwhile, Cameron reiterated that the immigration cap will be implemented in a manner to ensure that the UK still attracts the best talent from the world.

The Prime Minister briefed the business leaders in the UK that government has plans to allow the businesses to allow more staff from abroad. He said at the Confederation of British Industry that the immigration cap will not restrict recruitment of skilled foreign workers by businesses in the UK.

It seems that the Tories are loosening their tough stance on the annual UK immigration levels.

Meanwhile, several critics have cautioned that the recent Brussels trade pact with India will result in providing UK jobs to the Indians.

As per the contract terms, Indian companies can transfer their workers to Britain and there will be no limit on the total number of workers to be allowed into the UK. Also, there will not be any guarantee that the UK jobs will be offered to the British experts on a priority level.

And this is likely to result in thousands of Indians coming to the UK making things difficult for the UK government. The details, meanwhile, of the UK immigration cap will be revealed only after Christmas.

The remarks of Mr. Cameron regarding restricting the number of UK immigration levels had invited repeated arguments from leading universities and businesses in the UK. They had stated that rigid immigration levels will restrict them from hiring best international talent and undermine their global competitiveness.

Several nations including India and China have warned that proposed UK immigration cap will adversely affect UK’s business relations with these nations.

Recently, eight UK Nobel laureates had stated that the proposed cap on UK immigration will deprive the UK of global scientific talent and isolate it from international world of research.

The UK government had announced an interim cap on UK visa for skilled migrants hailing from non-EU nations in July this year which was to be followed by a permanent cap to be introduced in April 2011.