移民英国新增“移民税”

Enoch

[新华社 中文新闻 2月21日]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-02/21/content_7638181.htm

英媒体20日披露，2008年英国移民新政策正陆续出台。作为改革力度较大的新移民政策，除了推出“计分制系统”外，英国政府还将宣布：那些想移民英国的外国人，还要交纳新增的“移民税”，用于弥补英国不堪重负的公共系统缺口费用。

    英国内政大臣史密斯表示，大量外来移民将越来越成为政府的“负担”，因此移民必须承担更高的“移民税”。这也将意味着：一些年长的移民申请者——由于其更需要医疗公共服务，就必须比年轻的技术移民支付更高的“移民税”。

    额度或为签证费的10％

    消息人士表示，新增“移民税”额度可能被设定在签证费的10％左右，即希望在英国居住达6个月以上的移民，需在支付200英镑签证费之外，额外支付20英镑的“移民税”。因东欧很多国家加入了欧盟，故欧盟移民进入英国不需签证，故免于这些附加“移民税”。而其他非欧盟国家都需要签证申请，则必须交纳新增“移民税”。

    最新移民统计显示，2006年－2007年期间，英国签证部门从270万移民申请中收取了大约1.9亿英镑的签证费。

    据此规定，英国每年将新增1500万英镑的公共资金支持。对此，英国各部大臣都表示，英国实际每年需2.5多亿英镑的资金支持。

Enoch

卫报原文

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politi ... npolicy.immigration


Migrants to earn citizenship during probationary period


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This article appeared in the Guardian on Thursday February 21 2008 on p6 of the UK news section. It was last updated at 00:05 on February 21 2008.

A new immigration status of "probationary citizen" lasting from one to three years is to be introduced by ministers as part of a system of "earned citizenship" to encourage more non-EU migrants who settle in Britain to apply for a UK passport.

The time new migrants spend as probationary citizens will depend on whether they "earn their stay in Britain", with those who undertake voluntary work speeding their progress, while those convicted of minor crimes will have their applications delayed. Access to benefits and council housing will also be delayed until migrants have completed their probationary period. Details of the citizenship plan were published as Gordon Brown announced that the government is to go ahead with compulsory pre-arrival English language tests for foreign nationals who want to marry British citizens and settle in the UK.

At present a skilled economic migrant can apply for citizenship after five years - two years for those who come to join a family member. While about 150,000 people a year successfully apply for a British passport, there is no compulsion to do so and about 100,000 with indefinite leave to remain in Britain retain their original citizenship. A Home Office green paper, The Path to Citizenship, published yesterday, says newcomers will be classed as temporary residents for two to five years before becoming probationary citizens for a minimum of one year and a maximum of three years, depending on their behaviour.

This will ultimately lead to most of those who "play by the rules" becoming a British citizen within six years - a year longer than at present - or remaining a permanent foreign resident, a process that will now take at least eight years, or being asked to leave the country if their citizenship application fails. Those who have committed an imprisonable offence will be automatically barred from British citizenship. "Earned citizenship" is in addition to the present requirements to pass tests in speaking English and knowledge of life in the UK.

The home secretary, Jacqui Smith, said the proposed changes were part of a wider package of immigration reform which would see an Australian-style points-based immigration system introduced next month: "This is a comprehensive package of measures to strengthen our immigration system and reinforce our shared values. It will deliver a clear journey to British citizenship which balances rights and benefits with responsibilities and contributions."

The green paper, which is expected to lead to legislation in November, caused disquiet among Labour MPs when the proposals were unveiled in the Commons.

The former Home Office minister Fiona Mactaggart, MP for Slough, warned that the proposals would damage race relations: "One of the reasons we have such excellent race relations in Britain is because migrants to this country relatively quickly achieve permanent residence, unlike other countries in Europe," she said. The Conservatives' home affairs spokesman, David Davis, said the minimum probationary period should be five years rather than 12 months.