Sunak refuses to say how many legal migrants would be ‘acceptable’

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Rishi Sunak declined to say how many legal migrants would be “acceptable”, as ministers signaled they would put the needs of the economy ahead of a Conservative manifesto pledge to reduce the overall number.

UK prime minister faces heavy criticism next Thursday as net migration figures are expected to hit a record high, with experts forecasting the total for last year could exceed 700,000.

But Sunak and Jeremy Hunt, chancellor, made clear this week that they are ready to accept political and media criticism in the interest of economic growth and filling gaps in the job market.

Sunak, visiting Japan, agreed on Friday that legal immigration to Britain was “too high” but declined to say what number it targeted or when it would start to lower the bar.

The matter will come to a head when the Office for National Statistics releases migration estimates for all of 2022. The Tories fought the 2019 election by promising to cut the net migration, which was then 226,000.

Asked by the BBC what an “acceptable level” would be, Sunak said: “I don’t want to give an exact number.” He said it “will depend on how the economy is doing at any given time and the circumstances we are facing.”

Since Brexit, when Britain “gained control” of its migration policy, net migration from the EU has decreased, but has been replaced by a large influx from third countries, including refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan and people fleeing the crackdown on civil rights in Hong Kong.

But ministers have also made a deliberate choice to ramp up migration, including through a 2019 pledge to boost the number of international students enrolled from 470,000 in 2017/18 to 600,000 by 2030.

That number has already been exceeded, and Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, and Hunt have rejected attempts by Suella Braverman, the home secretary, to cut it.

“The 600,000 figure is a target, not a ceiling,” said a Keegan ally. The education secretary has repeatedly said that international students are good for Britain’s economy, research and the rise of ‘soft power’.

Keegan agreed, however, to ban postgraduate students on one-year courses from bringing dependents to the UK with them during their studies.

Meanwhile, Braverman agreed this year to a proposal to allow more foreign construction workers to come to Britain to fill gaps in the job market under the so-called ‘shortage employment’ scheme.

The Government’s Migration Advisory Committee is carrying out a review to see if other sectors, such as retail or hospitality, should be added to the list and will report in the autumn.

Hunt, speaking at the UK Chambers of Commerce conference this week, indicated he would be open to seeing the list expanded.

“Since leaving the single market we have been pragmatic on immigration requirements,” he said. “So, for example, let’s put nursing homes on the shortage list, some sectors of the construction industry, and we’ll continue to talk to all of you about where there are short-term challenges.”

Hunt says his spring budget was dedicated to getting long-term sufferers, parents and older workers back into the British workforce, but labor market shortages are likely to persist.

Tensions in government over the issue were highlighted this week when said Bravermann Britain should be a “high-skilled, high-wage economy” but it should also train its fruit pickers.

But in the same week Sunak told a gathering of farmers in Downing Street that a further 10,000 agricultural visas would be made available, on top of the 45,000 already allocated.