UK to change immigration system, reduce hiring overseas labour

The UK's prime minister is determined to change the country’s immigration policies.

Citing revised figures which put net migration to the UK at a record high of 906,000 in year to June 2023, Keir Starmer slammed the previous administration.

Starmer commented on the figures of the independent Office of National Statistics on Thursday (Nov. 28).

"Because a failure on this scale isn't just bad luck. It isn't a global trend or taking your eye off the ball. No, this is a different order of failure. This happened by design, not accident. Policies were reformed deliberately to liberalise immigration. Brexit was used for that purpose to turn Britain into a one nation experiment in open borders."

Most people who entered the UK on period running from 2021 to 2023 did so to plug gaps in the British workforce.

The newly elected prime minister said he will target sectors that are over reliant on immigration to reform the points-based system.

Employers who refuse to comply will be banned from hiring overseas labour.

Starmer also hinted at more returns of foreign nationals whose asylum claims had failed.

He announced a deal signed with Iraq.