Controlling immigration

Today, 4th June 2024, the Conservatives announced a clear plan to implement a cap on immigration, to bring immigration down to sustainable levels.

• We have supported those fleeing the war in Ukraine and China’s actions in Hong Kong which pushed up immigration levels. But we know net migration is still too high. 
• That is why we have a clear plan to bring net migration down to sustainable levels by implementing a legal cap on immigration, which falls every year of the next Parliament. Under our plan, ministers will decide on a new cap for migration, based on what the British economy needs, this will then be subject to a vote in Parliament – giving MPs direct control of immigration levels for the first time.  
• Only Rishi Sunak has a clear plan to reduce levels of migration by taking bold action to cut numbers every year, giving families the security that they will always be able to access the public services they deserve.  

We will do this by:

• Implementing a legal cap on migration, ensuring overall migration falls to sustainable levels. We will implement an annual legal cap on the number of visas that can be granted to those coming to the UK on work or family routes, taking into account public services and the economy. Temporary work routes such as Seasonal Agricultural Workers, would not fall within the cap as these are very short-term visas. Students will also not fall within the cap.
• Commissioning the Migration Advisory Committee to make an annual recommendation to government based on the costs and benefits of migration. We will commission the Migration Advisory Committee to make an annual recommendation to government on the level of the immigration cap, with an explicit remit to take into account the economic costs and benefits of migration to make sure our economy gets the workers it needs, whilst our NHS and housing is not overwhelmed. Government will then consider the Committee’s recommendation before making a final proposal.
• Bringing an annual vote to Parliament to set the immigration cap, giving Parliament a direct role in setting immigration levels for the first time. Government will put its proposed level, informed by the MAC, to a vote in Parliament annually so MPs can vote on the annual level, giving Parliament a direct role in setting the level of immigration for the first time.
• Bringing net migration down by 10 per cent last year, with applications on key routes down 25 per cent this year so far, showing our clear plan to get migration down to sustainable levels is working. Long-term net migration was 10 per cent lower in the year ending December 2023, compared with the year ending December 2022 (ONS, Long-term international migration, provisional: year ending December 2023, 23 May 2024)