To be shocked at the net migration figures currently being discussed

[Feelingathomenow]

Yesterday’s figures discussed by the Tories stated that since 2010 the net migration figures to the UK has equalled the size of the population of Wales. Today we were told the figures to June 2023 showed a net migration figure of nearly 1 million for that year, for the year to June 2024 this had reduced to a mere 3/4 of a million. The numbers coming in of the boats per year alone is equal to a large town. AIBU to think this has to stop. We need to immediately crack down on people allowed into this country- limit it to urgently needed highly skilled jobs and start offshore processing (or similar) of the people who are here illegally (basically like many other countries).

We just can’t cope with those numbers. - no wonder our infrastructure is collapsing, we have a housing crisis etc.

I want to hear from the government how they are going to tackle it. We have heard from the Tories now it is over to Starmer.

“British women at risk” ? Still waiting for these direct quotes.

Also pretty weird you’re putting words in to others mouths but saying “British women” and then “black and brown people”

nobody apart from you has used these terms, you’re aware ‘black and brown people’ can also be ‘British women’? maybe the racist is a little closer to home ;)

Exactly this. I’ve never once mentioned race?

I would have thought, high immigration to UK means ->

• UK Universities can stay solvent, charging high fees to foreigners
• UK consumers pay less for goods and services, this particular benefits people on low incomes
• A lot of professionals were not trained in UK so UK taxpayers didn't pay for them to provide those skills: engineers, scientists, medical people, skilled trades: these all came to the UK economy cheap and help keep prices down for services
• Indigenous people of working age pay less tax because immigrants tend to be < pension age and still paying tax; the immigrants keep the income tax bills down for everyone else
• Care homes have a slightly less dire recruitment crisis than they would if they were relying on only UK-born/raised staff to exist

So when people say they want UK immigration to go down, they therefore want ...

*UK universities should fail, fewer people should go to Uni & those that do go should pay a huge amount more than they do now to get their degree
*Goods and services to cost more, and poor households to be even more strapped for cash
*Tax burden on working age people to be MUCH greater
*Carehomes to be even more understaffed

But I haven’t seen a single racist comment. I was hoping you would be able to enlighten me. Sorry if you have been affected by any racist comments, but I really struggle to see any. Maybe you are triggered in some way by the thread, in such instances it’s usually kinder to yourself to hide it.

We got a bit closer to the Aus system but it was scrapped

It's accepted there by nearly all, but here there seems a barrier to discussing it rationally even.

Okay I am out. I am deactivating. Life is too short to chat with people defending racism.

Yes it's shocking and unsustainable. Before I get shouted at many immigrants themselves feel the same way, talk to elderly ones. This is a basic GCSE Geography topic too so fed up with those who shout down anyone who points out it is unsustainable and needs curtailing.

Offshore processing? That's worked well in Australia 🙄
https://academic.oup.com/jrs/article/35/4/1508/6646968

I think people accept the worker visas and student visas and both are fairly transient (visas are short term). We need the workers and the universities need the students - and it's good for the economy.

What people don't like is the hordes of young men arriving on boats and we're forced to pay to keep them housed for months on end. Also the fact we're too soft as a country to deport people who commit crimes or people who've come in and just take and give nothing back. This is what people want to see action taken against, rather than being supposedly powerless against immigration laws.

Repelling asylum claims violates the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees. The UK is a signatory.

Sensible decision, have a nice evening.

Oh, do bore off. Gone are the days where people like you can close down debate or criticism by squealing ‘racism’. It’s because of that that were in the mess we are in now, because people have been afraid of raising valid concerns, and then being labelled a racist. If being concerned at the amount of unskilled men, who can’t speak English, and are allowed to settle here without us knowing anything about their background is being racist, then call me one. You, and others who have played this game over the last couple of decades, should hang your heads in shame.

The UK is a signatory.

Aus is too

People who come here to study, work and pay their taxes are widely welcomed.

I don't hear squealing. The rise of the extreme right wing is terrifying.

All of these issues could be dealt with and arise from
poor governance not the position of offshore processing

I have not read the entire thread - I'm a child and grandchild of immigrants. My grand parents are the children of empire and were actually born British subject despite being born abroad. The queen invited them to come to and build the UK. after the war. Although, I like living in the UK, I don't understand why people in large numbers still want to come. It is very expensive and the immigration process is difficult and expensive.

We live in a capitalist society. Coporations want workers. There is a decline in birth rates across the world, a lot of countries will be reliant on migrant workers.

Actually it's better than that in Spain. My ghic card covers me for 90 days free health care. If I choose to move there under a non lucrative visa permanently, because my partner is over state retirement age (I'm not) my health care is free as well as his.

Their child isn’t the only white child in their class at school

An aside, in Istanbul a month ago, a tour guide easily told us the population, the number of new immigrants this year, and the number of illegals (4m...).

@RafaistheKingofClay

An example of the skill breakdown on legal migrants for one snapshot period. Unsurprisingly the biggest number is as care workers :

We should be able to discuss migration and the impact and I completely agree that just discussing it isn't racist and of course not everyone who would like to limit immigration is racist.

There are racist comments on this thread though. Denying that there is ever a racist element doesn't help anymore than calling everyone who wants controls racist.

There was a headline the other day 500,000 construction workers needed to be let in to build 300,000 new homes.

And I think, well, this doesn’t make sense. We import this people so they will build housing for themselves? And not even enough. Anyone who comes in is entitled to housing if they have children..

Wr keep being told the NHS needs immigrants to survive. Well yes, we need them because there have been millions coming here who use the service.

This is madness. We need people come on to provide services to those who have come in.

Not enough investing in the NHS? How much will be enough with these numbers? Anyone can register and use it, no proof of immigration status needed. Why do I need to pay tax and NI do someone can come in, register with a GP, get referred and start receiving expensive treatment?

The thing is that it is quite often people jump in talking about migration without knowing the details: the demographics of the so called "immigrants" and why they come here in the first place. For example, UG (undergraduates), PGT (postgraduate by taught), and PGR (postgraduate research) students will stay here for at least 1 year. However, they will eventually go back home. PGRs can bring their family but most will go back ince they complete their studies. From what I read, the number of immigrants who come here on boats are just under 8%. Yet, most of the time people focus on this all the time.

It is also impossible to come to UK legally in order to work as a delivery driver. There is a salary threshold (£38k) that needs to be met. I doubt one gets paid £38k working as a delivery driver. They also need to pay fees to obtain a visa to stay here, probably about £1k per person, paid every 2 year, and will need to do this for the whole 5- 10 years in order to reside in UK permanently. On top of this, each person needs to pay £1k health surcharge (for NHS) per year. There is no recourse to public funds either until the 5-10 years are completed. This means there is no child benefit, JSA etc. You'd be amazed of how difficult and costly it is to actually work and live in UK as a legal immigrant.