Sean Bamford's Archive 
I’m a Policy Officer in the European Union and International Relations department of the TUC. I’m responsible there particularly for policy on issues around migration, EU worker mobility, trafficking, the EU’s information and consultation rights, and the accession countries.
Sean Bamford
Figures release by the National Office for Statistics this morning shows net migration at its highest level in more than five years. A major factor in producing these figures is the decline in the number of people leaving the UK.
Sean Bamford
With the newly announced net migration figure climbing to 215,000 from 196,000 the Government’s pledge to reduce it to the tens of thousands is proving to be even more difficult to achieve than ever. The main reason for this increase has been a further drop in emigration, a factor over which they have little control. Already, their capping of Tiers 1 and 2 to 21,700 for the forthcoming year with its overall reduction of some 5,000 has been superseded by this net increase. Given that the Government is fond of quoting Professor Metcalf of the Migration Advisory Committee on this subject, this is his assessment of Tiers 2 and Tiers 1 migration
All things being equal. Tier 1 and 2 migration clearly has a positive impact on (GDP). In a straightforward static analysis, Tier 1 and 2 migration makes a small but positive contribution to GDP per head. Such effects will accumulate over time and become more significant. (Source: MAC Report)
Not only is the cap on Tier 1 and 2 proving ineffective to meet the Government’s objective, it would seem that the TUC’s assessment that such an arbitrary cap will damage the economy is well founded!
Sean Bamford
The Government’s commitment to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands has been in trouble from the outset. A major part of the problem is that they have no control over two key factors affecting net migration, out flows/emigration and the number of EU citizens who choose to come to the UK. The latest figures available showed that there has been an almost 20% rise in net migration over the last year; with the net figure standing at 196,000. The increase is largely due to a 13% fall in those emigrating and a 35% increase in overseas students coming to study in the UK. In other words the task that they have set themselves seems to becoming more difficult. The Government’s policy on migration, driven by political opportunism, is in a mess. But for those who might wish to take pleasure in their predicament, remember that it will damage the UK economy and it will hit public services as many of those we may have relied on to enter via Tier 2 will find it increasingly difficult to do so.
