Also the salary against which Tier 2 visas will be issued will also be increased by the end of the year to make "sure that our immigration system is focused on attracting the brightest and the best skilled workers".

Britain's new immigration blue print announced on Wednesday by prime minister David Cameron has announced a major crack down on migrant labour coming into UK from outside the European Union by setting up a Migration Advisory Committee which will consider a host of new measures to reduce demand for migrant labour.

The measures expected to be introduced by next year includes restricting work visas to genuine skills shortages and highly specialist experts, putting a time limit on how long a sector can claim to have a skills shortage, a new skills levy on Tier 2 visas to boost funding to UK apprenticeships and raising salary thresholds to stop businesses using foreign workers to undercut wages.

The Committee has been told to see how to put up restrictions on the automatic right of Tier 2 dependants to work, tightening up on the intra company transferee (ICT) route, including applying the immigration health surcharge to ICTs and raising the minimum salary levels that economic migrants have to be paid.

New immigration data showed net annual migration to Britain had leapt to 318,000, just 2,000 below the highest figure on record.

Officials of 10 Downing Street said "The MAC will look at proposals to cut non-EEA work migration and give British people the skills they need. Proposals on visa salary thresholds to be fast tracked in time for swift action in Immigration Rule changes later this year".

Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, the PM confirmed that the Home Secretary has written to the MAC asking it to advice on reducing work migration from outside the EU.

Cameron said "This government is on the side of working people: in the past, it has been too easy for businesses to recruit from overseas, undermining those who want to work hard and do the right thing. As part of our one-nation approach, pushed forward by my Immigration Taskforce, we have asked the MAC to advise on what more can be done to reduce levels of work migration from outside the EU".

Source: The Times Of India