UK Immigration Policy Research Articles

МЕЖДУНАРОДНАЯ ПРАКТИКА В ОБЛАСТИ ИНТЕЛЛЕКТУАЛЬНОЙ МИГРАЦИИ: АНАЛИЗ ОПЫТА ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИИ

This article analyzes international practice in the field of intellectual migration using the example of Great Britain, a country with a developed educational system and an attractive labor market for migrants. The study uses the case study method and analyzes regulatory documents. The features of the UK's immigration policy, its impact on the socio-economic development and cultural diversity of the country were studied, and recommendations were proposed to strengthen its effectiveness and adaptation to modern challenges. The results of the study emphasize the importance of an integrated approach to managing migration flows and the need to create conditions for successful integration of intellectual migrants, which will contribute to sustainable development and prosperity in the era of globalization. The scientific research was carried out within the framework of a state order for the implementation of a scientific and (or) scientific and technical project under budget program 217 «Development of Science», subprogram 102 «Grant financing of scientific research», under the priority «Research in the field of social and human sciences» and on the topic: IRN AP13067766 «Transformation of policy in the field of educational migration: development of strategies for using the intellectual potential of Kazakhstanis living abroad». Keywords: intellectual migration, educational migration, immigration policy, immigration, Great Britain.

Invisible Migration and “Perverse” Capital: Exploring the Experiences of Migrant Delivery Riders

This article focuses on “semi-documented” Brazilian migrant delivery riders in London. It uses (in)visibility as a conceptual lens to perform two roles. First, it explores the experiences of this group through the analytical lens of invisibility. In doing so, it demonstrates that in multiple ways, this group does not conform with statistical norms or with the way “invisible” and/or undocumented migrant workers are portrayed in the literature. Second, the article employs the concept of invisibility to critique UK immigration and employment policy in helping to render the presence and of these migrants “invisible.” Accordingly, it argues that the immigration system is “perverse” in its structure and consequences. In response to the perversity of the system, these migrants employ “perverse” forms of social capital to adapt.

Ceding Control and Taking it Back: The Origins of Free Movement in EU Law

Abstract Given the emphasis, at the time of the 2016 referendum, on the need to take back control of UK immigration policy, the article raises the question as to why the founding EU States decided not only to cede control in this sensitive field but also to allow such a generous approach to economic migration (to include not just workers but also their family members and to include equal access to benefits, including to housing) (the ‘why’ question). We also wanted to know whether any of the concerns which so resonated in the 2016 referendum campaign, especially about benefit tourism and pressure on public services, were ventilated at the time (the ‘risks’ question). Given that the contemporaneous academic literature did not offer much insight, we went to the archives and traced the evolution of the debates on economic migration in the period leading up to the signing of the Treaty of Rome, and again in the run up to the adoption of the key Regulation on workers, Regulation 1612/68 (now Regulation 492/11). We suggest that in respect of the ‘why’ question there was no single—or simple—explanation as to why the founding states agreed to the introduction of free movement but various justifications were offered. In respect of the ‘risks’ question, our research revealed little contemporaneous discussion of the concerns that subsequently took hold, primarily in the UK but also elsewhere. More striking were the extensive debates on adequate housing for migrant workers and their families. This was less couched in terms of risk but in terms of the paucity of provision of adequate housing for all families. The article concludes by considering the question as to why there was so little attention paid to the radical nature of free movement.

The exclusion of pregnant women from NHS health care: a cross-sectional, humanitarian, health service evaluation

BackgroundRecent UK immigration policy, including obligatory charging and data sharing between the NHS and the Home Office, has created an atmosphere of fear and increased the barriers to health-care faced by highly marginalised and vulnerable individuals. Charging for maternity care (often incorrectly) leads to avoidance or delayed presentation for antenatal care and increased maternal and neonatal morbidity, mortality, and associated costs. MethodsThis cross-sectional health service evaluation used data collected from patients during medical consultations at Doctors of the World (DOTW) clinics in the UK. DOTW is a humanitarian organisation, providing care to those excluded from NHS health care. We describe patient characteristics with a particular focus on pregnant women presenting to DOTW for antenatal care instead of NHS care. Findings980 adults had a medical consultation at DOTW between Jan 1, 2016 and Dec 31, 2016. Of these 945 (96%) of 980 people were non-EU or EEA nationals, 518 (53%) of 980 were women, and 104 (20%) of 518 were pregnant. Among pregnant women, 18 (17%) of 104 had a experienced a history of violence and 36 (34%) of 104 had an urgent medical need. 86 (83%) of 104 pregnant women were presenting for their first antenatal visit; 50 (58%) of these 86 women were attending after 10 weeks gestation. InterpretationAttendance at DOTW clinics is evidence of exclusion from mainstream health-care provision. A fifth of women attending medical consultations at DOTW in 2016 were pregnant, with a third having an urgent medical need. Most were attending for their first antenatal visit, with over half attending after 10 weeks gestation; NICE recommend first antenatal visit by 10 weeks. These results are of great concern, particularly given the refusal of the government to publish its review of the public health impact of the NHS overseas visitor charging regulations. FundingWellcome Trust, European Union; European Programme for Integration and Migration, European Commission: DG Health and Food Safety/Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency.

Try before you buy: a small business employer (SME) perspective of international student mobility in England

ABSTRACT Attracting international students has become a strategic priority for UK immigration policy as well as for British universities. However, research shows that there are emergent intercultural barriers that challenge international students' carrier aspirations and inhibit their ability to find employment. Also, small business employers (SMEs) are becoming a significant force in the post-Brexit UK economy and integral to creating innovation and employment opportunities. Despite this significance, we do not know what SME owners view the value of international students and how these perceptual discourses shape international student experience and mobility. In response, this research investigates small business employer discourses relating to international student employability. We base our data collection in strategically important North East of England and draw from semi-structured in-depth interviews with small business employers from the region. Our findings discuss their perception of international students as well as universities and discuss how these prevailing discourses influence international students' employability. We specifically show how socio-cultural dispositions of international students, dominant British employer and market discourses, and universities strategic pursuits interplay and contribute to challenges international students confront within the highly competitive and dynamic higher education environment.

Immigration, free movement and the EU referendum

Immigration and free movement are central issues in the UK's referendum on EU membership. Although free movement was a founding principle of the EU, it only became of central economic and political importance after the expansion of the EU eastward in 2004. For the UK, the economic impacts of recent EU migration appear to have been relatively benign, even for the low paid and low skilled. The UK's recent ‘renegotiation’, which focused on the largely irrelevant issue of ‘benefit tourism’, will make little difference. A vote to Leave, however, will potentially take us into new territory for UK immigration policy,

ИММИГРАЦИОННАЯ ПОЛИТИКА Д. КЭМЕРОНА (2010–2015 гг.)

ИММИГРАЦИОННАЯ ПОЛИТИКА Д. КЭМЕРОНА (2010–2015 гг.)

Labour migration to the UK from Eastern partnership countries

Stocks and flows of migrant workers from EaP countries in the UK are relatively small, and flows have declined recently following changes to UK immigration policy and the onset of recession. The demographic profile of migrants from EaP countries is similar to that of EUA8 migrants but employment rates have been much lower. A large proportion of migrants to the UK from EaP countries are highly educated but this has not led to such high levels of occupational attainment as groups such as EU14 migrants. Despite the potential for increased migration to fill skill gaps, immigration policies and attitudes to immigrants are likely to restrict future flows.JEL ClassificationsJ61; F22.

Through the back door: nurse migration to the UK from Malawi and Nepal, a policy critique

The UK National Health Service has a long history of recruiting overseas nurses to meet nursing shortages in the UK. However, recruitment patterns regularly fluctuate in response to political and economic changes. Typically, the UK government gives little consideration of how these unstable recruitment practices affect overseas nurses. In this article, we present findings from two independent research studies from Malawi and Nepal, which aimed to examine how overseas nurses encountered and overcame the challenges linked to recent recruitment and migration restrictions. We show how current UK immigration policy has had a negative impact on overseas nurses' lives. It has led them to explore alternative entry routes into the UK, affecting both the quality of their working lives and their future decisions about whether to stay or return to their home country. We conclude that the shifting forces of nursing workforce demand and supply, leading to abrupt policy changes, have significant implications on overseas nurses' lives, and can leave nurses 'trapped' in the UK. We make recommendations for UK policy-makers to work with key stakeholders in nurse-sending countries to minimize the negative consequences of unstable nurse recruitment, and we highlight the benefits of promoting circular migration.

Post-national citizenship without post-national identity? A case study of UK immigration policy and intra-EU migration

A key dividing line in the literature on post-national citizenship concerns the role of collective identity. While some hold that a post-national form of identity is desirable in developing citizenship in contexts such as the European Union (EU), others question the defensibility of a collective identity at this supra-national level. The aim of this article is to intervene in this debate, drawing on qualitative research to consider the extent to which post-national citizenship should be accompanied by a form of post-national identity. The article takes the UK as a case study, and explores tensions between the immigration policies and rhetoric of the Coalition Government since 2010 and the post-national citizenship rights of EU citizens migrating into British local communities. It draws on independently collected qualitative data from the county of Herefordshire, UK, to argue that the persistent reinforcement of national identity reproduces national lines of difference which further problematise the full realisation of European citizenship. At a theoretical level, this highlights the need for the development of post-national citizenship rights to be accompanied by a paradigmatic shift in the way that collective identity is constituted in post-national contexts.

UK Migration Policy and Migration from Eastern Partnership Countries

This paper examines UK migration policy and recent migration flows from Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries to the UK. Although inflows of migrant workers were relatively large in the mid-2000s, especially amongst Ukrainians, these have fallen following changes to UK immigration policy, especially the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme and the introduction of the Points Based System. As a result, the stock of migrants from EaP countries resident in the UK is small, especially in comparison to migrants from the new member states that joined the EU in 2004 (EUA8 countries). Migrants from the EaP countries also have an older age profile then EUA8 migrants. Employment rates are lower for migrants from EaP countries but they have fairly similar occupational attainment to other European migrants. This may be due to the high average levels of education amongst migrants since a relatively large proportion of migrants to the UK from EaP countries are highly educated. The paper is completed by a discussion of the skill needs of the UK economy. Our conclusions suggest that despite there being scope for increased migration from the EaP countries to help fill skill gaps, it seems very unlikely that the UK will allow large numbers of migrants from the EaP countries to enter the UK in the near future. This is because of the continued sluggish performance of the UK economy and the attitudes towards (increased) immigration displayed by political parties/the current government, as well as the general public.

Discipline in UK immigration, citizenship and education policy: The impact of English-language testing on adult migrants

A growth in transnational mobility as a result of globalization has led to many countries experiencing increased and more diverse migratory flows. The response at the level of the nation state has been a general move towards more stringent immigration and naturalization policies. In several countries this has included the introduction of knowledge and language testing for those applying for citizenship and a pre-language requirement as a condition of entry for some migrants.

Competing for talent: global mobility, immigration and the City of London's labour market

The City of London’s competitiveness is founded on its global talent pool and ability to attract and retain workers of all nationalities. Drawing on ONS Long-Term International Migration data and fieldwork-based studies of banking, professional services and business education, the argument of this paper is 2-fold: that the City’s competitiveness is significantly dependent on the functioning of its global labour market, of which a key factor is the immigration of European Economic Area (EEA) and non-EEA talent, and that a central determinant of the City’s position as a leading international financial centre based around a highly competitive global labour pool will be UK immigration policy in the wake of the financial crisis of 2007–2008 and ensuing recession.

Managing Surveillance? The Impact of Biometric Residence Permits on UK Migrants

On 27 May 2010, the newly formed UK Coalition government announced the cancellation of national identity cards for UK citizens. Yet, foreign nationals remain subject to a separate biometric identity card scheme—renamed ‘Biometric Residence Permits' (BRPs)—currently being rolled out to various categories of migrant. To date, over 300,000 such cards have been issued to various foreign-national groups, including international students, visiting scholars, entrepreneurs, investors and domestic workers. Although research has been conducted on UK immigration policy, there has been little investigation into how foreign nationals view, experience and negotiate BRPs. In this paper, we draw on our own empirical work to examine the impact of BRPs on migrants. From March to December 2010, interviews and participative research were conducted with the Home Office, the UK Border Agency, advocacy and civil society groups, Higher Education Institutions and individual migrants. We consider the extent to which this scheme acts as a means of exercising surveillance and control over foreign nationals, and the ability of these migrants to negotiate around such constraints.

Neo-assimilationist citizenship and belonging policies in Britain: Meanings for transnational migrants in northern England

The overall aim of this paper is to contribute to debates on the relationships between citizenship and migration in the UK context in the light of recent changes in UK immigration policy. In particular, it focuses on the question of what an increasingly neo-assimilationist state articulation of national belonging means for transnational migrants living in Britain. The paper begins by charting the evolving nature of citizenship conceptualisations in Western neoliberal contexts and illustrates how Britain has responded to this shifting landscape. The context is one of enhanced ‘migration securitization’ wherein the state implies that the integrity of the nation state and its security can only be assured if migration flows and migrants themselves are closely controlled and monitored. This has led to Britain attempting to bolster the formal institution of citizenship (with its attendant rights and responsibilities) and tie it more explicitly to notions of belonging to the nation. Through research with national/regional policy officials and migrant organisations this paper firstly examines the political landscape of citizenship and belonging in Britain as it relates to migrants. Secondly, it draws on research with African transnational migrants in northern England to explore their senses of belonging and ask whether these cohere with the described state discourse or whether their feelings of belonging exist in tension with neo-assimilationist policies designed to promote a core national identity.

The Drivers of International Migration to the UK: A Panel‐based Bayesian Model Averaging Approach

A heterogeneous panel-based Bayesian model averaging approach is used to identify the robust economic and policy drivers of international migration to the UK from 14 different source regions over 1980–2007. Around three-quarters of the increase in net immigration over the last decade, which is particularly pronounced for selected source regions, is associated with structural change, which may be attributed to UK and foreign immigration policy. The remainder of the rise is largely explained by ‘friends and family’ effects. There are considerable uncertainties associated both with the effects of particular economic drivers of immigration and with forecasts of immigration.

The Role of Networks in the Development of UK Migration Policy

This article examines the ‘policy networks’ that existed between 1997 and 2007 in UK asylum, economic migration and immigrant integration policy. The analysis shows that employers and businesses (together with other state and non-state actors) were part of a tightly organised, ideologically cohesive economic migration ‘policy community’. This policy community was crucial to the development of economic migration policy, in contrast to the development of asylum and integration policies. The central argument of this article is that the mainstream interpretation of UK immigration policy change (that change was driven by an elite-led, powerful executive) is correct in tracing the dynamics of asylum policy development between 1997 and 2007 under New Labour, but wrong for the development of immigration policy as a whole, which was more complex, and where businesses played a key role.

Mentally disordered offenders who are born abroad: pathway of care through medium secure services

Recent changes in UK immigration policy have led to increasing deportation of foreign national offenders and more than 5000 were deported in 2008. This rise follows a review in 2006 which found that some foreign national offenders were being lost due to disposal or transfer through mental health services. As a result, a department was set up within the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) to identify and review those detained under Restrictions Orders who were due to be conditionally released from hospital, so that they could be considered for deportation. As a result of these changes, forensic clinicians are more frequently presented with detained patients who have immigration problems that can lead to problems in the care pathway through secure services. A local audit was carried out in an inner‐London medium secure service to quantify the number of detained patients who are born abroad, and to review their care pathways to determine whether they are affected by immigration difficulties. It is hoped that the discussion of the issues identified by this audit can support service improvement and provide better care for patients in medium secure services.

Changes in UK Immigration Policy and Legislations and their Impact on Highly Skilled Immigrants and their Families

Changes in UK Immigration Policy and Legislations and their Impact on Highly Skilled Immigrants and their Families

Non-European Union doctors in the National Health Service: why, when and how do they come to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

BackgroundAs many as 30% of doctors working for the National Health System (NHS) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) have obtained their primary qualifications from a country outside the European Union. However, factors driving this migration of doctors to the UK merit continuing exploration. Our objective was to obtain training and employment profile of UK doctors who obtained their primary medical qualification outside the European Union (non-European doctors) and to assess self-reported reasons for their migration.MethodsWe conducted an online survey of non-European doctors using a pre-validated questionnaire.ResultsOne thousand six hundred and nineteen doctors of 26 different nationalities completed the survey. Of the respondents, 90.1% were from India and over three-quarters migrated to the UK mainly for 'training'. Other reasons cited were 'better pay' (7.2%), 'better work environment' (7.1%) and 'having family and friends in the UK' (2.8%). Many of the respondents have been in the UK for more than a year (88.8%), with 31.3% having spent more than 3 years gaining experience of working in the NHS. Most respondents believe they will be affected by recent changes to UK immigration policy (86.6%), few report that they would be unaffected (3.7%) and the rest are unsure (9.8%).ConclusionThe primary reason for many non-European doctors to migrate to the UK is for training within the NHS. Secondary reasons like better pay, better work environment and having friends and family in the UK also play a role in attracting these doctors, predominantly from the Indian subcontinent and other British Commonwealth countries.