Boris Johnson pledges points-based system based on Australian rules, Trump tweets his praise

Boris Johnson, Donald Trump praise Australia’s immigration system as Boris pledges to copy it.

Boris Johnson says he will copy Australia’s points-based immigration system. Picture; AP.

Boris Johnson will pledge today to restore public faith in Britain’s immigration rules with a regime modelled on Australia’s points-based system.

The Tory leadership frontrunner says Britain must be more open to skilled migrants but he will give assurances that “we have control over the number of unskilled immigrants coming into the country” after Brexit.

“We must be tougher on those who abuse our hospitality,” he will say. “Other countries such as Australia have great systems and we should learn from them.”

Mr Johnson will not commit to reducing net migration generally or to the Tories’ pledge to cut it to tens of thousands, however. He intends to commission the government’s Migration Advisory Committee to look at the Australian points-based system and report by the end of the year on whether it could be adopted as part of a future immigration policy.

He believes it is a system that has proved effective, is supported by the public in Australia and has generated a lot of interest in Britain, according to campaign sources. The Australian system awards points to prospective skilled migrants based on age, English-language skills, employment record and qualifications. Supporters argue that it is a way of attracting high-value skilled migrants to fill skills shortages.

His pledge came as Donald Trump also hailed Scott Morrison’s immigration policies, declaring “much can be learned” from Australia.

Ahead of a meeting of G20 leaders in Osaka, the US President has singled out Australia as an example of tough border protection measures through Operation Sovereign Borders.

Mr Trump tweeted four flyers released by the Australian government that were distributed to deter people from paying people smugglers and taking boat journeys to Australia.

“These flyers depict Australia’s policy on Illegal Immigration. Much can be learned,” Mr Trump said.

The flyers include text warning people who arrive in Australia without a visa “you won’t be settled in Australia”.

“No way. You will not make Australia home,” another flyer says.

“The Australian government has introduced the toughest border protection measures ever.”

These flyers depict Australia’s policy on Illegal Immigration. Much can be learned! pic.twitter.com/QgGU0gyjRS

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2019

The British government is consulting on a post-Brexit immigration system that will relax the rules for skilled migration by scrapping an annual cap on numbers that can enter and lowering the skills threshold of jobs for which they will be eligible. Experts said that Mr Johnson’s intervention raised more questions that it answered, however, including whether he was committing to reduce overall figures. They added that he had also evaded thorny issues such as asylum, migration for family reunion and marriage as well as who will fill low-skilled jobs.

The former foreign secretary is silent on whether he will maintain Theresa May’s definition of a skilled worker as an employee earning more than £30,000, for example. Business leaders have been waging a long battle to reduce that figure.

Lord Green of Deddington, chairman of Migrationwatch UK, which campaigns for lower immigration, was dismissive of Mr Johnson’s pledge. “This statement just ducks all the key issues,” he said. “There is no mention whatever of reducing net migration let alone how it might be achieved.”

Madeleine Sumption, director of Oxford University’s Migration Observatory, said: “The term ‘Australian points-based system’ gets thrown around in the UK debate quite a lot.

“Some aspects of the UK’s immigration rules for non-EU workers are already quite similar to what they do in Australia — for example, employers can sponsor foreign workers to come to the country for skilled jobs.

“Other aspects are different — for example, Australia’s immigration system has more regional devolution, gives some migrants a faster route to permanent residence, and is more open to international students who want to stay on to work.”

Mr Johnson also promises to “ensure that EU nationals’ rights are protected” immediately. This indicates a promise to seek to pass the elements of Mrs May’s withdrawal agreement that introduce “settled status” for EU citizens.

Last night a senior opponent of a no-deal Brexit, David Gauke, the justice secretary, told ITV’s Peston program that he would resign from the cabinet if Mr Johnson became prime minister. “To be fair to him, I wouldn’t be able to give him full- hearted support,” he said.

With The Times