UK migration target "is not useful or appropriate"

The government's target to cut net migration to the UK to below 100,000 by 2015 is neither a useful tool nor a measure of policy effectiveness, according to a new discussion paper by UCL academics. The aim to achieve a single numerical net migration target, announced by the coalition government in 2010, is unique in the history of UK migration policy and also new in an international context. The discussion paper, published online today by Professor John Salt and Dr Janet Dobson from the Migration Research Unit (UCL Geography), examines progress towards the target over the first three years and highlights the issues and complexities involved in migration management. Net inflow of migrants to the UK is calculated as the difference between the number of people entering the country and the number leaving. Therefore, reducing net migration means reducing immigration, increasing emigration - or both. The target applies to all immigrants and emigrants, including British citizens and those from other countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), whose movements are for the most part beyond government control. The government has therefore so far focused its policies almost entirely on non-EEA citizens, making big cuts in Tier 1 (the highly-skilled) and in Tier 4 (students) coming from non-EEA countries.