CBI urges government to scrap UK immigration targets after Brexit

08 Aug 2018 | Posted by Carl Thomas

Net migration targets should be scrapped once Brexit officially takes place, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

Targets should be replaced with a new system that makes sure those entering Britain are able to make a positive contribution to the economy, the business group argues.

Additionally, the CBI has suggested that schools and hospitals should receive extra funding where they are meeting higher demands as a result of UK immigration.

The organisation argues that the contribution that EU workers make to the UK economy is of “profound” importance and could be required in the future as Britain steps away from the bloc.

As an alternative, the CBI suggests that EU workers should be registered when they arrive in the UK and have their UK visa restricted to three months unless they are able to provide adequate proof of work, study or an ability to remain self-sufficient.

This approach is necessary to ensure the UK immigration system allows skilled people to come to Britain after Brexit, and does not prevent the country’s industries from flourishing, they added.

"The stakes are high. Get it wrong, and the UK risks having too few people to run the health service, pick food crops or deliver products to stores around the country," it added.

"We also risk harming our future as a global innovation hub, rooted in our longstanding ability to attract talented people the world over."