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03/08/2009
Immigration Passport Points System Unveiled
Immigrants who want to take on British citizenship will have to earn points to qualify for a passport under new government plans unveiled by Home Secretary Alan Johnson.
The new system will see migrants obtaining points by doing voluntary work, paying taxes, speaking English or having useful skills. Bad behaviour will result in the deduction of points.
At present British nationality is awarded almost automatically to anyone who has lived in Britain for five years without having a criminal record.
The news proposals would mean it could take up to 10 years for a migrant to become eligible for UK citizenship.
The points scheme is currently in place for temporary migrants from outside the EU who want to work in the UK.
Speaking ahead of the consultation launch Mr Johnson said: "No longer will there be an automatic link between temporary work and becoming a permanent UK citizen."
A Home Office spokesman said: "The points-based system has already proved to be a powerful tool for controlling migration for the benefit of British people and the economy. We have already announced our intention to consult on applying these principles to the path to citizenship.
"New laws require migrants to earn citizenship by playing by the rules, speaking English and contributing to the community. We intend to consult on how we can further strengthen these reforms and provide flexibility for the Government to respond to the changing economic needs of the country."
Home Office research showed an 8% rise in applications for British citizenship in 2007. Some forecasts show the UK population could rise to 70 million.
Conservative immigration spokesman Damian Green said: "This is pure spin. There never has been an automatic right to British citizenship. It is simply that this Government that has let an unprecedented number of people obtain citizenship, issuing someone with a British passport every five minutes.
"This is an act of desperation by a Government that knows it has let immigration run out of control for more than a decade."
(GK/BMcC)
The new system will see migrants obtaining points by doing voluntary work, paying taxes, speaking English or having useful skills. Bad behaviour will result in the deduction of points.
At present British nationality is awarded almost automatically to anyone who has lived in Britain for five years without having a criminal record.
The news proposals would mean it could take up to 10 years for a migrant to become eligible for UK citizenship.
The points scheme is currently in place for temporary migrants from outside the EU who want to work in the UK.
Speaking ahead of the consultation launch Mr Johnson said: "No longer will there be an automatic link between temporary work and becoming a permanent UK citizen."
A Home Office spokesman said: "The points-based system has already proved to be a powerful tool for controlling migration for the benefit of British people and the economy. We have already announced our intention to consult on applying these principles to the path to citizenship.
"New laws require migrants to earn citizenship by playing by the rules, speaking English and contributing to the community. We intend to consult on how we can further strengthen these reforms and provide flexibility for the Government to respond to the changing economic needs of the country."
Home Office research showed an 8% rise in applications for British citizenship in 2007. Some forecasts show the UK population could rise to 70 million.
Conservative immigration spokesman Damian Green said: "This is pure spin. There never has been an automatic right to British citizenship. It is simply that this Government that has let an unprecedented number of people obtain citizenship, issuing someone with a British passport every five minutes.
"This is an act of desperation by a Government that knows it has let immigration run out of control for more than a decade."
(GK/BMcC)
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