‘The task of managing immigration completely changes in both scale and strategic importance once free movement ends.’
This is from a March 2019 Institute for Government (IoG) report on challenges for the UK’s migration policy after Brexit. The report looks at current problems in the UK immigration system, and sets out recommendations for future policy.
The report identifies several problems with the current system, including unrealistic immigration targets, insufficient evaluation and a lack of effective scrutiny. The report also highlights problems caused by the way in which the Home Office is structured, noting ‘The system depends on charging applicants high fees and shifting problems elsewhere in government.’
The report recommends that the Cabinet Secretary should assess if the Home Office is the most appropriate place for immigration policy to sit, and that the Home Secretary should commit to introducing a bill to simplify current immigration rules. Further recommendations are included in the full report.
