Migration from Eastern Europe falls to new low » Central government » 24dash.com

The number of Eastern European migrants coming to work in the UK has fallen to its lowest level since accession, according to statistics published by the Home Office today.

The figures show that between April and June 2008 there were 40,000 applications to the Worker Registration Scheme from nationals of the eight countries that joined the EU in 2004 - a drop of 14,000 from the same period last year and a fall of 9,000 from the first three months of this year.

The number of Bulgarians and Romanians applying to work in the UK has also dropped to its lowest level since accession in January 2007 with only 7,005 applications for worker cards and registration certificates between April and June of this year, compared to 10,860 in the same period last year.

In other statistics also published today figures show the Government is removing those that have no right to be here, especially those that cause the most harm.

In the first six months of 2008 32,230 people were removed from the UK, up six per cent from the first half of 2007. Within this figure the number of non-asylum removals increased - going from 23,195 to 26,275, a rise of 13 per cent.

Last year the Home Office removed a record 4,200 foreigner prisoners and this year is on track to meet its target to remove at least 5,000. In the first six months of this year over 2,500 foreign prisoners have been removed - a 23 per cent increase on the same period last year.

To speed up the removal process further still the Government announced in May that the immigration detention estate would increase its capacity by 60 per cent, with an additional 1,300 to 1,500 spaces for immigration offenders, within two years.

In 2007 the number of people applying for asylum fell to its lowest level since 1993 with 23,430 applications. Application levels remain historically low, between April and June this year 5,720 people applied for refuge, compared to 6,595 in the previous three months of 2008.

Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said:

"Britain's borders are stronger than ever with asylum applications at an historic low and an immigration offender removed every eight minutes.

"Foreign lawbreakers are being removed from Britain at record levels with more than 2,500 deported so far this year. I have made it repeatedly clear that people who come here must earn the right to stay, work hard and play by the rules."

The Government has this year seen the introduction of:

• A tough new Australian-style Points Based System (PBS) to allow only the workers Britain needs.
• The fingerprinting of any visa applicant from across the globe - so far more than 2.7 million sets of fingerprints have been taken, detecting 3,500 cases of identity swaps
• Civil penalties targeting those employing illegal workers - since February 540 businesses have been issued with fines worth over £5.4 million pounds.

In November the Government will also begin the introduction of compulsory ID cards for foreign nationals, which will lock people down to one identity using the latest biometric technology.

The Government today also publishes its consultation on proposed reforms to the immigration appeals process. The reforms are designed to streamline the system. The Government believes that once fully implemented, the reforms could reduce the amount of time taken for asylum appeals by nine weeks.