Immigration to be halted?

[rov1200]

Is it now time the politicians halted all immigration from outside the EU? Also to stop issuing student visas from these areas. There cannot be a better time to do this. 1. Student places are oversubscribed. 2.The unemployment figure is heading for 3 million. 3.The rise of the BNP will only increase. 4. Although most Pakistanis are law abiding the ones that do cause trouble have increased due to the unstable nature of Pakistan.

Must be a vote winner for any of the main parties.

[anotheoldgit]

I have read through my post again and can find nothing in it to suggest that mass immigration by foreign nationals is a good thing? So how you came to that very strange assumption I really do not know.

What I did notice however, is the fact that you shied away from answering my question to your other assumption. But in case you inadvertently overlooked it, I will ask again.

So what are these 'comforts we enjoy now' thanks to the Commonwealth?

[anotheoldgit]

You are really wallowing now sp

Banning non-EU immigration is not what I have ever suggested, it was you that added this.

But then you also suddenly altered the ban on non-EU immigration to a blanket ban on immigration.

I know it is the holiday season, but go easy on the white rum and anything else that is putting you in a careless mood.

[sp1814]

My point regarding the ban on non-EU immigration was actually directed to the initiator of this thread.

The most obvious benefit of Commonwealth immigration is the number of NHS staff who come from former colonial countries.

Then you need to take account of the favourable trading links we enjoy with Commonwealth countries, not to forget the hard-working transport workers, GPs, home helps, shopkeepers etc.

The net balance I'd overwhelmingly positive.

To ban all immigration from outside the EU is practically unworkable.

[rov1200]

The whole point is that with the troubles in Pakistan and the recent troubles in Britain all immigration should be stopped from that country but to ban only from one country is not possible, therefore the blanket ban.

[sp1814]

That's a rather extreme mallet/nut paradigm.

[anotheoldgit]

The most obvious benefit of Commonwealth immigration is the number of NHS staff who come from former colonial countries.

I wondered how long it would be before you wheeled out this tired and rather old chestnut.

Why do we need a Commonwealth, to attract to these shores trained and skilled professionals?

Other countries manage it, without a Commonwealth.

[sp1814]

France does. It recruits labour from former colonies, as does Spain.

And whilst you consider it an old chestnut doesn't make it untrue.

[anotheoldgit]

Former colonies yes, but not a Commonwealth which we have to support.

[sp1814]

AOG

Former colonies are the Commonwealth.

And furthermore, we don't 'support' them. If anything they support us.

If we immeditately halted all non-EU immigration, and by that I mean residential immigration and work permits, the first thing that would happen is that staff shortages amongst trained nurses would be thrown into sharp relief.

On April 2nd 2008, the MP Chris Huhne asked the Secretary of State for Health how many non-EU nationals worked in the Health Service.

Apparently, the NHS doesn't keep figures on the nationality of it's staff, but it does record where they qualified.

Let's take that as a rough figure for nationality - the figures for 2007 show that out of 125,154 staff, 32,906 qualified outside the EU.

That's a quarter of NHS staff.

(source: http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co m/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080402/text/80402w005 2.htm)

Anyway you cut it - that's some serious support, because you can guarantee that the vast majority of those non-EU nationals are from former colonies and the Commonwealth.

[anotheoldgit]

Apparently, the NHS doesn't keep figures on the nationality of it's staff, but it does record where they qualified.

Do you really believe this? when one fills in any form these days one is asked what nationality one is, especially job application forms.

When you stated 'Former colonies are the Commonwealth'.

I am quite aware of this fact, I was answering your other comment 'France does. It recruits labour from former colonies, as does Spain.

Note what I said 'Other countries manage it, without a Commonwealth.'

[JimmyCooper]

We are always going have immigration but why cant we have stringent rules like say Australia or New Zealand.

Namely if you want to come to this country you must have:

A degree
A specific trade or skill etc