Sir Andrew Green is Chairman of Migrationwatch UK.
Does the government’s political imperative to get immigration down to
acceptable levels conflict with their economic imperative to stimulate economic
growth?
For business generally, the
answer is a resounding “no”. There are no limits on the transfer of
international staff, vital to so many companies based here. Only half of
the available work permits (about 20,000 a year) have, so far, been taken
up. Special visas for entrepreneurs and investors are unlimited but the
take up has been very limited – only 360 entrepreneurs and 300 investors had
taken advantage of these routes by last Autumn. Meanwhile, the arrival of
1.5 million business visitors every year suggests that Britain is indeed open
for business.
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