Tens of thousands of skilled immigrants from outside the EU are to be barred from entering the country to tackle public concern that British workers are losing out to foreigners in the recession.

Rules governing the entry of highly skilled immigrants are to be tightened and an official advisory committee has been asked to consider whether curbs should be placed on the number of other skilled workers allowed in.

Ministers will also make it easier to deport EU citizens convicted of violent, sexual and drugs offences.

Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, denied that “raising the bar” for highly skilled immigrants was narrow protectionism to safeguard British jobs. The move follows a series of wildcat walk-outs by workers protesting at jobs going to foreign workers when many British workers were losing their jobs.

Ms Smith said: “All workers now coming to the UK from outside the EU have to meet the requirements of the Australian-style points-based system, which allows us to raise or lower the bar on who can come here.”

She said that a flexible immigration system was better for business and the economy. “We recognise that migration continues to play an important role in the UK, at the same time as we are giving greater support to domestic workers so that we can all come through the recession stronger.”

The number of nonEU highly skilled workers entering Britain in the year from April is estimated to fall by almost half because of tougher entry requirements, the Home Office said.

Officials estimate that the number will fall from 26,000 last year to 14,000 next year as a result of rules requiring highly skilled migrants to have a master’s rather than a bachelor’s degree and to earn a minimum of £20,000 a year instead of £17,000. The new rules come into force in April. Some of the decline, though, is likely to be linked to the worldwide recession and fewer job opportunities.

In a move that could signal further cuts in nonEU migration, Ms Smith has asked the Migration Advisory Committee to look at the economic contribution made by dependants of all migrants entering under the points-based immigration system.

The committee has also been asked to investigate whether skilled immigrants should be limited to occupations with skills shortages such as civil engineers, chemical engineers, maths and science teachers and senior care workers. If this proposal is introduced it could reduce skilled migrants from outside the EU by up to 40,000 a year. An estimated 20,000 to 40,000 of the 80,000 skilled workers who entered Britain last year were in areas where there were skills shortages, the Home Office said.

Ms Smith confirmed that skilled jobs will have to be advertised for a minimum of two weeks in Jobcentre Plus branches before businesses can seek skilled workers from outside the EU. The rules are being changed after claims that some jobs were being advertised in obscure media outlets.

A total of 151,000 work permits were issued to skilled workers from outside the EU in the 11 months to November last year – a 17 per cent increase on the 140,000 issued in 2007.

Ms Smith cannot stop people from the EU coming into Britain to work, but figures to be published tomorrow are expected to show that the number travelling from eastern Europe is continuing to fall.

The Government also plans to change the laws regarding the deportation of EU citizens convicted of sexual, violent and drugs crimes. At the moment EU citizens can only be deported if they are given a jail sentence of two years or more. Ms Smith said that she intended to reduce this to 12 months.

Damian Green, the Shadow Immigration Secretary, said: “Jacqui Smith is just tinkering around the edges of the immigration system. If she wants to control the numbers entering the country legally, then she should introduce a limit, as a Conservative government would. She is just floundering in reaction to public anger.”

John Cridland, Deputy Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry, said: “Unemployment is rising and the Government does have to make sure that, when work permits are issued, it is because firms genuinely can’t hire staff for the job concerned. However, any changes need to be carefully made.”

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