India: UK immigration cap a concern

Aug 26, 2010 - Age Correspondent |

New Delhi

India renewed its concern over Britain’s decision to impose a cap on immigration from non-European Union (EU) countries, including India, when visiting British immigration minister Damian Green held talks here on Wednesday with Overseas Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi, minister of state of external affairs Preneet Kaur and minister of state of home affairs Mullapally Ramachandran.

Mr Ravi sought to impress upon the British minister that Indian students and professionals should not suffer because of the changes in the immigration norms.
“I requested him not to equate India with any other country. We have a historical relationship and I told him about our concerns on the issue,” Mr Ravi told reporters.
However, Mr Green justified the tougher immigration guidelines on the ground that the United Kingdom government will ensure that the new norms do not affect the Indian business in Britain as well as the overall trade ties between the two countries.
Mr Green said at a press conference held towards the end of his three-day visit to India that he travelled here to dispel the perception that the UK’s new immigration policy was about erecting barriers and closing doors. He explained that the aim of the United Kingdom government’s approach is to control immigration more effectively and reduce numbers to more sustainable levels, and added that the immigration into Britain has been “too high in the last 10 years” and that it has put “pressures” on the country’s public services.
The coalition government in the United Kingdom has proposed a cap on immigration from non-EU nations which will come into force from April 2011.

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