Britain to cut immigration from outside Europe

LONDON: Britain today published a list of industry sectors open to workers from outside Europe, which the government says will reduce by 2,00,000 the number of jobs open to migrants from outside Europe.

Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said the government had accepted the full list put forth by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), while adding social workers as well.

Overall, the number of jobs available to migrants from outside the European Economic Area -- which includes the 27-nation European Union as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein -- will be capped at 800,000, a reduction of 200,000 from the previous maximum.

Britain's new immigration arrangement is based on Australia's points-based entry system, which awards potential migrants points based on their education and work background and qualifications.

Non-EEA workers entering Britain must conform to one of five categories: highly skilled, skilled in a profession that has shortages, students, temporary workers, or low skilled. This last group has temporarily been suspended.

The new list, which comes into force on November 27, applies to the second category, and indicates that construction managers, geologists, civil and chemical engineers, and senior nurses are jobs in which there are a shortfall of British employees.

Social workers and skilled chefs will be reviewed by the MAC, which will also re-examine evidence for demand in all teaching-related jobs by March 2009.

A month ago, Woolas said in an interview that Britain would adopt tougher restrictions on immigration as the global financial crisis lifted unemployment to the highest rate in nearly a decade.