Home Secretary vows to restore confidence in UK immigration system

The Government is committed to shaking up policy to ensure only the brightest and best migrants can come to the UK, UK Home Secretary Theresa May said.

The comments came during her first major speech on UK immigration.

In front of an audience of key immigration partners at London's Policy Exchange, she reiterated the coalition government's commitment to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands by the end of this Parliament.

She made it clear that this could not be done through the points-based system alone, but also on other UK Visa streams.

“The government intends to control immigration by focusing on all aspects of the immigration system, not just the points-based system. So over the coming months, action will be taken on students, families and settlement as well as people coming here to work,” she said.

Among the priorities are:

Encouraging more entrepreneurs and investors to come to Britain;
Putting a stop to abuse of the student route; and
Cutting the link between those who come here temporarily and permanent settlement.

The previous government's proposed policy of earned British citizenship would not be implemented.

Ms May said the government is determined to increase the number of high-value migrants coming to the UK, such as investors and research scientists, while encouraging employers to fill vacant jobs with people who are out of work and already in the country.

The UK Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people with their UK immigration applications to the British High Commission.