Boris Johnson to ignore government’s own experts and launch ‘pointless’ Australia-style points-based immigration system

Salary threshold for migrants with job offers to be reduced from £30,000 to £25,600 after lobbying from employers

Priti Patel has vowed to introduce tougher immigration rules (Getty)

Boris Johnson is to press ahead with an Australian-style points-based system for immigration despite its rejection by the government’s own experts.

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) said in a report last month that a points-based system was “cosmetic” and “pointless” for all but the most highly skilled migrants, with chair Alan Manning dismissing it as a “soundbite”.

The prime minister and Priti Patel, the home secretary, have accepted the MAC’s recommendation to cut the salary threshold for skilled migrants to £25,600, after employers complained that the proposed £30,000 minimum would exclude staff in vital but relatively poorly paid roles like lab technicians and care home managers.

But they are pressing ahead with the points system promised in the Conservative manifesto, under which applications for work visas will be judged against a set of desirable characteristics.

Details of the scheme are expected to be approved by cabinet on Friday, in the first meeting of the prime minister’s new top team after a reshuffle on Thursday.

The MAC report urged the government not to repeat the “mistake” of the introduction under Tony Blair of a points-based system which proved “ineffective and overly complex” for most migrants. It said such a system should be used only for workers of exceptional talents without job offers.

Under the PM’s plan, would-be migrants will get points for English language ability, an offer of a skilled job, a post with an approved sponsor company and a salary offer above the threshold.

There will also be points for operating within a sector where the UK has a skills shortage and having an outstanding educational record.

The points will be “tradeable”, so that applicants who fall short on one measure – such as language skills – may be able to make up for it by scoring highly on another. People with a job offer worth £23,000 or more may be able to secure access to the UK jobs market by totting up high points totals on other factors.

The new system is predicted to mean an overnight reduction from 1 January in the number of unskilled EU migrants, who will lose their automatic freedom to live and work in the UK because of Britain’s departure from the European Union.

But The Sunday Times reported that the Home Office expects a rise in the number of skilled workers coming to the UK, which currently stands at 65,000 annually, with a higher proportion coming from outside Europe.

It is understood that a simple version of the scheme will be introduced at the end of the transition period to Brexit, which concludes on 31 December. Further reforms will be implemented in 2021 to allow positive and negative points to be awarded for age, willingness to work outside London and a record of education in the UK.

Short-term visas could also be introduced in response to shortages of low-skilled workers in specific sectors like care or construction.

A government source said: “The PM wants to deliver a system which demonstrates the UK is open and welcoming to the top talent from across the world, which will help the economy and country thrive.

“At the same time we must deliver on what this country voted for – by decreasing low-skilled migration and breaking away from a reliance on cheap labour to focus on boosting skills, technology and innovation that will truly benefit the UK for the long term.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We will deliver on the people’s priorities by introducing a points-based immigration system from 2021 to attract the brightest and best talent from around the world, while cutting low-skilled immigration and bringing overall numbers down.

“We will set out the details of this firmer and fairer new system in due course.”