Annual migration cap will be imposed if Tories are re-elected, pledges Rishi Sunak
AN annual migration cap will be imposed if the Tories are re-elected, Rishi Sunak pledges today.
The PM announced plans for a fixed limit after net arrivals hit a monster 685,000 last year.
It is a bid to neutralise the threat to the Tories from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK and Labour’s vow to reduce arrivals.
Mr Sunak has not put a figure on the cap — but will tell the Migration Advisory Committee to recommend how to return net immigration to “sustainable levels”.
It would then be for MPs to vote on the cap.
Mr Sunak said last night: “We’ve taken bold action to cut the number of people coming to this country.
“The plan’s working but migration levels are still too high — so we’re going further.
“Labour’s migrant amnesty will make the UK a global magnet for illegal immigrants — and they have no plan to reduce net migration, while we have a clear plan to stop the boats and put a legal cap on numbers.”
Many Tory MPs have called for a hard annual cap on net migration.
Immigration minister Robert Jenrick led demands for an “Australia-style” ceiling.
Mr Sunak has already banned care workers bringing their families — and imposed a £38,000 minimum salary requirement for skilled worker visas.
He also blocked postgraduate students bringing dependents.
Stats show annual net migration settling at about 315,000 by 2028.