A leading immigration lawyer has questioned the Government’s proposed changes to immigration during the global pandemic, following the second reading of the Immigration Bill in Parliament this week.
Matthew Davies, partner at Leamington-based law firm Wright Hassall and head of the Business Immigration Department, has suggested that the timing of the Immigration Bill is ill-advised and that the entire premise should be reviewed given the outbreak of Covid-19.
Home Secretary Priti Patel set out the plans to end free movement, with the aim to ‘bring back control of Britain’s borders’, stating that this delivers on the UK’s expectations having voted to leave the EU in 2016.
Davies has said that the Bill is being presented as bringing in a new immigration system, but that in reality it only makes changes to the current system and should be completely reviewed given the current situation.
Davies said: “This is a very strange time for the Government to bring back the Immigration Bill in light of the current pandemic, given the severe and unforeseen impact coronavirus will have on labour markets with a huge rise in unemployment.
“Despite the disruption to the settled labour market, skill and salary threshold for migrants are actually being reduced by the Immigration Bill, based on pre-Covid-19 recommendations from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC).
“The Bill does not introduce a new immigration system at all; we have had a Points Based System since 2008. Instead, it brings forward adjustments and liberalisations using the same framework and platform, with the underlying principle of employer sponsorship unchanged.
“The Government is being criticised for being too tough on low-skilled migrants, with much being made of those who work in the NHS and care sector, but the reality is that the Bill will actually lower skill and salary thresholds for most roles.”
“Ending free movement for EEA nationals was a given once the UK voted to leave the EU, but the Government will want to deflect criticism in relation to the NHS, which it can easily do with amendments. It will be easy enough to ring-fence NHS and critical care at all skill levels, should the need be there.
“The Government will not be afraid to be criticised for protecting the UK workforce, and will be under pressure to support upskilling and retraining rather than reaching for the immigration lever.
“Many will say it should prioritise how to achieve that rather than make premature changes to an immigration system in a rapidly changing economy. I suggest it’s time to ask the Migration Advisory Committee to look at this again.”
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