Migration Watch Latest Figures

[Alex]

Migration Watch UK is an independent and non-political think tank whose President is Lord Green of Deddington, a former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. The Chairman is Mr Alp Mehmet, MVO, a former Ambassador to Iceland. We have a distinguished Advisory Council from professions as diverse as business, academia, medicine, law, politics and journalism.

https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/press-release/675/migration-watch-uk-comment-on-immigration-and-visa-figures

[GrannyMac]

I've read Migration watch reports and data quite often. I don't disagree re the concerns, but apart from their suggestions about  spreading the word and contacting our MPs, what do they expect the public to do?

Surely with their collective knowledge and status they might be better placed than Joe Public to offer some solutions? The only migration the government has been able to reduce is that of EU nationals, we knew that would happen after Brexit. Legal migration, workers, students, spouses etc., is pretty tightly governed. The big problem as we all know is the increasing number arriving in England from France, and claiming asylum.  Sending a few to Rwanda? It might stop some traffickers, who knows.  No one  seems to have the answer.

[klondike]

Although the dinghy boys are what most raise hackles they are but a drop in the ocean (pun intended) compared to legal migration which the government actually has the power to stop entirely tomorrow should they so choose. It isn't that they cannot control that but that they apparently choose not to.

[GrannyMac]

Although the dinghy boys are what most raise hackles they are but a drop in the ocean (pun intended) compared to legal migration which the government actually has the power to stop entirely tomorrow should they so choose. It isn't that they cannot control that but that they apparently choose not to.

I agree, however I'm not sure they can afford to reduce some categories of visa.  My daughter gives training in her speciality to new nurses. Lots of them are 'international'. The job vacancies wouldn't be filled otherwise.

Students bring in lots of money! They pay more than British students for a UK degree. 

[klondike]

The thing is at the end of the day the choice should be with the public and that is not the case. It is what the government wants that gets done. There are some African students in a couple of HMOs near me. I'm not sure what they are studying but if it is a degree on late night noisy parties then they must be in for Firsts considering the work they are putting in but probably no honours as they'll never find the time to produce dissertations. I've seen plenty of suggestions that large numbers never leave when their visas expire and there is no effort to make them.

[Jacqueline]

Fair enough if we need highly qualified people like doctors and nurses, but there are not 1 million of them coming in are there? I bet the rest are not needed at all and we could do without them.

[Alex]

There should be some way of training British doctors and nurses so that we don't need so many 'international' people.   Perhaps reduced or halved university fees for those studying medicine would be a start, with written in the small print, once trained, an obligation to stay with the NHS for 5 years ?

[crabbyob]

this is what i have always advocated Alex, i believe some American Companies put students thru college, but they are then contracted to that company... the NHS could do similar and have a steady flow from each university, there must be lots of brains lost because on financial restrictions..
and as for foreign students, how long is it since you actually saw a UK doctor, every specialist i have seen [and its a few] in the past ten years has been foreign, with one exception that i wont discuss here... i welcome them because without them our country would simply collapse, certainly the NHS would... but having said that, a fair few of the patients are also not from these shores...

[GrannyMac]

That's a sensible idea Alex and crabbyob. Financial scholarships could be a way forward for the NHS.  But as far as getting a degree, students have always paid in the USA.  Grants here became far too expensive when Tony Blair decided everyone should go to university.  A waste of time for some IMO.

Just spotted this! https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jun/08/nhs-hiring-more-doctors-from-outside-uk-and-eea-than-inside-for-first-time

[klondike]

There should be some way of training British doctors and nurses so that we don't need so many 'international' people.  Perhaps reduced or halved university fees for those studying medicine would be a start, with written in the small print, once trained, an obligation to stay with the NHS for 5 years ?

I don't know if it has changed but my granddaughters NHS approved podiatry degree course which I think she started probably 5 years back had the fees paid for by the NHS. She did her practical work in an NHS clinic. 

[Raven]

Alex, I've been saying that for years now. We train them and they must stay and work for the NHS for a specified time once they qualify. They need to give something back not just get trained and begger off. If this was done we would always have a supply of doctors/nurses.

[Michael Rolls]

We really ought to be ding more to train and retain health staff. The current situation is a disgrace
Mike