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Can a points based immigration system work in the UK?

Boris Johnson has brought forward plans to overhaul the country's migration system - with ‘an Australian-style points based system’ coming in from January 2021.

A points based system would assign points to those who want to work in the UK, on the basis of a number of professional and personal characteristics. This would range from education levels to salary.

Under the current model of freedom of movement, EU citizens do not need a visa to work in the UK. Immigrants from outside of the EU, however, are subject to a points system based on English language skills, being sponsored by a company and meeting a salary threshold.

Prime Minister Johnson has stated that the UK’s post immigration system will put “people before passports”. Speaking at the recent UK-Africa Investment Summit, the PM said immigration would become “fairer... treating people the same wherever they come from”

So how successful will such a system be in the UK? Newsnight’s Policy Editor Lewis Goodall investigates.

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11 minutes