Britains population is rising.
Australian migrants coming to the UK are under threat from an immigration cap thanks to the huge increase in immigration figures in Britain.
A report by the BBC show that migraton to the UK rose by 33,000 in 2009 to 196,000 and whilst the numbers of immigrants entering Britain is rising, numbers of Brits emigrating abroad is falling. Much has been made of the report that net migration to the UK rose in 2009, but what the report also said was that fewer people were leaving the UK to emigrate abroad to live in previously popular migrant destinations such as Australia and Canada.
The UK statistics show that a drop of 13% was recorded in migrants from the UK emigrating abroad up to December 2009. The main reason for this is the recession, people simply aren’t willing to risk their savings on immigration applications, preferring to ride it out at home. But also Australia’s immigration policy has been tightened recently by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) making it harder for unskilled applicants to get a visa.
There is another flip side to the BBC report and that is that Australian migrants to the UK face tighter rules themselves. The British government is now under pressure to cap immigration, but under the European convention, migrants from European countries must be allowed to pass freely from country to country. It is against the convention to try to stop European migrants therefore international migrants to Britain, such as those from Australia, Canada and the US, will bear the brunt of any cap on British immigration.
And so it seems that with fewer people leaving Britain and more people trying to get in, Australian visa holders may find their visas capped, just as British migrants are fearing capping and ceasing policies in Australia.
It never rains but it pours…..
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