UK Immigration News

The British Government is set to anounce sweeping changes to employment andimmigration laws in a move designed to flush out up to 500,000 illegal foreignworkers.

Immigration "hit squads" will concentrate on industries such as:

hotel and catering, construction, clothes manufacturing, agricultural; and information technology industries

as part of a programme to treble the rate of removal of illegal immigrantsand failed asylum-seekers to 2,500 a week.

The working holidays that thousands of young Commonwealth citizens enjoy in Britain every year are likely to be restricted.

British officials are expected to cut the traditional two-year stretch to one year, although the range of jobs travellers can do may be expanded. One change that is being considered is lifting the ban on people working in their profession.

The proposed new rules, which would apply to all Commonwealth citizens, are still being worked on in London. The changes are expected to be announced in early February 2002.

BRUSSELS - Poland has taken a big step towards joining the European Union by wrapping up negotiations on the politically sensitive issue of free movement of workers.

"We have some big obstacles ahead [in the enlargement negotiations] to overcome, but we have made incontestable progress," said Eneko Landaburu of the European Commission, which is leading the negotiations.

Poland, by far the largest candidate country, reluctantly accepted a deal allowing present EU members to bar Polish workers from the labour market for up to seven years.

Foreigners with skills and money are to be allowed to enter the UK to seekjobs.

The new policy will be based on a points system and is intended to attracthighly skilled and high-earning migrants to fill skills shortages. Applicantsusing the new system, which begins next month, will be given points linked totheir educational qualifications, work experience and past earnings.

The Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, which starts next month, offersadmission to applicants who gain at least 75 points on its scale.

The 14 British Dependant Territories have been re-named British Overseas Territories, and their citizens have been given the right to become full British Citizens with the right to live and work in the UK and EU.

The territories concerned are:

Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Antartic Territory, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Island, St Helena and dependencies, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The Home Office Minister, Lord Rooker announced that new categories of work permits to help support industries with severe recruitment difficulties are being explored.

Speaking at the Trade Union Council's conference on international migration, Lord Rooker outlined how the Government plans to create a new, fairer migration programme by increasing levels of skilled migration based on the needs of the UK economy.

Immigration and Citizenship Minister Lord Rooker said: