Prime Minister Theresa May cast doubts on the likelihood of Britain adopting the Australian-style points system for immigration today, as she boarded the prime-ministerial plane heading to China for the G20 summit.
The points system has been applauded by the Leave campaign as the most effective immigration policy post-Brexit, and supported by new Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. However May questioned the effectiveness of the model, with Number 10 later confirming that it was “not an option”.
But what is the Australian system, and how does it work?
Australia has two immigration systems. The Migration Programme caters to economic migrants, and a separate Humanitarian Programme operates for refugees.
The current points system has been in place since 1989 but has been updated several times since – most recently in 2011.
If a migrant is sponsored by an employer, their application circumvents the points testing system. Applicants using the points-based system must be under 50 and be fluent in English. However, all other applicants must obtain 65 points as a minimum requirement.
Points are gathered by experience, education or certain understaffed skilled jobs, such as accountants and mechanics. Other points can be gained by excellent language proficiency, previous work in Australia or by studying in certain areas of the country.
Doesn’t the UK already have a points based system?
Migrants coming from outside the European Union are already subject to a points based system in the UK.
The UK has 4 tiers of application: high-value migrants (highly skilled or high net worth), skilled workers (for posts that cannot be filled by UK or EU citizens) students and temporary migrants. A fifth tier for unskilled workers was removed by the coalition.
An applicant to the UK must achieve at least 70 points. Those in sectors on the Shortage Occupation List, such as biochemistry, engineering or medicine, automatically earn 50 points.
Points are then given for age, experience, language skills and education. In order to apply as a skilled worker, you must already have a job offer.
So can we now implement this system for EU citizens too?
It is a possibility, and one that has been heavily pushed by UKIP’s Nigel Farage in the run up to the referendum. However, according to FullFact, we’re unlikely be able to do that and stay in the single market – could in turn bring economic costs. Japan warned earlier today that, unless the benefits of the single market are maintained, Japanese manufacturing companies would move elsewhere in Europe – which would have a significant negative effect on the economy.