Steve Savicki
10-24-2006, 12:55 PM
http://www.yahoo.com/s/421097
The British government has announced caps on the number of workers it will admit from Romania and Bulgaria after their accession to the
European Union in 2007, with low-skilled workers limited to just 20,000.
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Home Secretary John Reid said Tuesday that Britain would take as many skilled workers as it needed, but said that those in low-skilled or unskilled jobs would have "no automatic right" to come and work in Britain.
"The important thing is to try and achieve that balance between the needs of the economy and the protection of our society and of public services and to make sure that we get the best of the opportunities afforded to us but avoid any of the disadvantages," he said.
There will be an annual review of the restrictions and a new committee will advise on quota management.
The number of skilled workers will be "dictated by the needs of the economy", Reid said.
In a written statement, Home Office junior minister Liam Byrne restated that low-skilled workers would be restricted to existing quota schemes to fill vacancies in agriculture and food-processing.
Skilled workers would be able to work in Britain if, as is currently the case, they get a work permit to take up a job where no suitable UK applicant can be found, or qualify under a programme for highly-skilled workers.
The self-employed will continue to be able to work here but must prove they are genuinely self-employed, Byrne said.
Reid described the controls as "sensible and balanced" and said in another statement that he looked forward to welcoming Romanians and Bulgarians "provided that they comply with our rules and obey the law", which would be "robustly enforced".
He also announced he was phasing out low-skilled migration schemes for workers from outside the EU.
When Poland and seven other eastern European states joined the EU in May 2004, Britain was one of only three countries to allow unrestricted access.
Prime Minister
Tony Blair's administration predicted that up to 13,000 people from eastern Europe would come to Britain, but so far up to 600,000 have arrived.
But Reid defended this policy in his statement, insisting it had been "a success".
He also denied reports of a cabinet split over the new restrictions, saying he had been supported by colleagues.
The Times newspaper reported that there had been a fierce battle between Reid and Beckett over the restrictions and quoted one unnamed source accusing Reid of "nuking" Britain's relations with the new EU entrants.
Beckett believes the limits will "cause a huge loss of goodwill" in eastern Europe and has fought "bitterly" against them, the paper said.
Publicly, Beckett said Monday she believed that the restrictions must be both "workable and effective".
Several British tabloids have led calls for restrictions to be imposed on the newcomers, citing concerns over corruption and organised crime in Romania and Bulgaria, which join the 25 members of the EU next January 1.
<center>So has the United States influenced Britain or are The British possibly going to influence work tactics around the world?</center>
The British government has announced caps on the number of workers it will admit from Romania and Bulgaria after their accession to the
European Union in 2007, with low-skilled workers limited to just 20,000.
ADVERTISEMENT
Home Secretary John Reid said Tuesday that Britain would take as many skilled workers as it needed, but said that those in low-skilled or unskilled jobs would have "no automatic right" to come and work in Britain.
"The important thing is to try and achieve that balance between the needs of the economy and the protection of our society and of public services and to make sure that we get the best of the opportunities afforded to us but avoid any of the disadvantages," he said.
There will be an annual review of the restrictions and a new committee will advise on quota management.
The number of skilled workers will be "dictated by the needs of the economy", Reid said.
In a written statement, Home Office junior minister Liam Byrne restated that low-skilled workers would be restricted to existing quota schemes to fill vacancies in agriculture and food-processing.
Skilled workers would be able to work in Britain if, as is currently the case, they get a work permit to take up a job where no suitable UK applicant can be found, or qualify under a programme for highly-skilled workers.
The self-employed will continue to be able to work here but must prove they are genuinely self-employed, Byrne said.
Reid described the controls as "sensible and balanced" and said in another statement that he looked forward to welcoming Romanians and Bulgarians "provided that they comply with our rules and obey the law", which would be "robustly enforced".
He also announced he was phasing out low-skilled migration schemes for workers from outside the EU.
When Poland and seven other eastern European states joined the EU in May 2004, Britain was one of only three countries to allow unrestricted access.
Prime Minister
Tony Blair's administration predicted that up to 13,000 people from eastern Europe would come to Britain, but so far up to 600,000 have arrived.
But Reid defended this policy in his statement, insisting it had been "a success".
He also denied reports of a cabinet split over the new restrictions, saying he had been supported by colleagues.
The Times newspaper reported that there had been a fierce battle between Reid and Beckett over the restrictions and quoted one unnamed source accusing Reid of "nuking" Britain's relations with the new EU entrants.
Beckett believes the limits will "cause a huge loss of goodwill" in eastern Europe and has fought "bitterly" against them, the paper said.
Publicly, Beckett said Monday she believed that the restrictions must be both "workable and effective".
Several British tabloids have led calls for restrictions to be imposed on the newcomers, citing concerns over corruption and organised crime in Romania and Bulgaria, which join the 25 members of the EU next January 1.
<center>So has the United States influenced Britain or are The British possibly going to influence work tactics around the world?</center>