New Labour's Immigration Policy

For many years the immigration and asylum system has been under constant scrutiny from the media, politicians and the general public. Concerns have been raised regarding the number of people coming to the shores of the United Kingdom to make an application for asylum with the intent to deceive and then cream the benefits of the United Kingdoms welfare system and social housing entitlements ( www.irr.ork.uk) The Labour government was concerned with public racial hatred for Asylum Seekers and Refugees which was increasing; and that the faith in the Labour government to control Asylum Seekers coming to United Kingdom had become unmanageable.(Controlling Our Boarders: Making Migration Work for Britain) In 2005 the Labour government introduced the immigration, asylum and nationality bill 2005 to tighten migration control. The bill created new measures to reinforce that the United Kingdom is still committed to the 1951 Refugee Convention and an assurance from the government that the United Kingdom will not 'slam the door on refugees fleeing death and persecution'. A five year strategy produced by Labour 'Controlling Our Boarders: Making Migration work for Britain' has encompassed the importance of the United Kingdom's duty to accommodate Asylum Seekers, but it has also created improved measures to ensure that genuine Asylum claims are accepted and false claims identified and expelled. The policy is based on three principles; the enforcement of strict control to pin point false applicants; ensuring that the United Kingdom will benefit economically from migrants who want to work in the United Kingdom: the introduction of solutions regarding the complicated migration system so that the future processes will be clear, workable and manageable. (Blair, T, Controlling Our Boarders: Making Migration Work for Britain, 2005:5)

Due to the vast content of the five year plan it is not possible to include every element within this short paper. Also, some of the proposed elements of the policy have not yet been implemented. Within this paper the discussion will focus briefly on the benefits of economic migration, how the government has imposed restriction on who and who

cannot come to live and work in the United Kingdom. Finally, the New Asylum Model which has been placed within the policy will be discussed and evaluated based on report findings.

Firstly, who would be admitted? People who are nationals of countries which have joined the European Union (EU) and other European Economic Area (EEA) are automatically entitled to enter the United Kingdom and work (www.refugeecouncil.co.uk (a)). People who are not nationals of either the EU or EEA may come to the United Kingdom to work study or visit, however, a strict criteria has been enforced and will be discussed shortly. Checks will be made to ensure the visitor has not committed a serious offence, is not a terrorist or their visit will cause public unrest. Visas have been reduced from six to three months and the visitor now cannot change the purpose of their stay after they have arrived to increase the time they are allowed to stay. Previously visitors were granted to stay in the United Kingdom if they had secured employment or they wanted to study. Under the new policy an extension to stay will not be granted, however, if the visitor has been offered to study a degree course their visa will be extended if the student can prove that they have the funds to support themselves through out the course. The acceptance of visitors proceeding to study at degree level is considered economically viable for the United Kingdom's economy. Foreign degree student generated a staggering Ј5 billion in 2005. (news.bbc.co.uk) Finally, those who are genuinely fleeing persecution will be granted to stay until their circumstances or country is not seen to be a threat to the individual.

Within the policy a point's system has been introduced to assess the benefits for the United Kingdom if an applicant applies to work. The more points the applicant receives, the greater their chances are of being accepted to work in the United Kingdom. A five

tier system has been introduced. The top tear welcomes applicants who are highly skilled such as Doctor's or Surgeons or financially secure and who are offering to create businesses within the United Kingdom. It is considered these businesses will generate employment opportunities and enhance the economics of the country (www.refugeecouncil.org.uk, (a)).

Within the five year plan it introduced measures to tighten the application process for Asylum Seekers. The 'New Asylum Model' focuses that the process will be faster, tightly managed with an emphasis on removing applicants swiftly out of the United Kingdom whose claims have been rejected.(Controlling Our Boarders: Making Migration Work for Britain ) The Home Office started to implement the 'New Asylum Model' with pilot schemes in Harmondsworth Detention Centre and the North West Pilot. In May 2005 the 'New Asylum Model' was extended to Yarl's Wood Detention Centre and in June 2005 for non-detained Asylum Seekers in Liverpool and Croyden. It is predicted that major cities will eventually have Asylum units set up to process the applicants claims and will individually specialize to deal with certain application criteria's which will be discussed with the 'Segmentation' portion of this paper. (www.refugeecouncil.org.uk) In January 2006 the piloting schemes were hailed a great success and the 'New Asylum Model' was established in Solihull and Leeds to process claims from the West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside. (www.refugeecouncil.org.uk)

The 'New Asylum Model' has three processes the Asylum Seeker has to undertake to process their application, Segmentation: Fast Track Processing: Case Ownership. The segmentation process determines the Asylum Seekers application based on the characteristics of the Asylum claim. (www.icar.org.uk) There are ten segments of which the Asylum Seeker can be processed under. For example if the applicant's visa has expired and before the applicant is instructed to leave the UK he/she applies for Asylum,

the applicant will be processed, managed and offered support pathways which fulfill the criteria of the segment. In this case 'Segment 4' will apply under 'late and opportunistic, low barriers to removal'. (www.refugeecouncil.co.uk (a)) When the Asylum Seekers claim has been established the Asylum Seeker's application will be considered using a 'fast track procedure'. The process is designed to make a more speedy application from start to end by reducing the time between the initial interview and the initial