The government should introduce an annual migration plan to put an end to decades of inconsistent and unpredictable visa policies, according to a leading Whitehall thinktank. The Institute for Government (IfG) has criticized successive governments for relying on “reactive, kneejerk decisions” often made under media pressure over net migration figures.
The proposed plan would function similarly to a spending review announced by the prime minister and home secretary, published as an official government document, debated in Parliament, and subject to scrutiny by select committees. The recommendation comes as ministers prepare to release a long-awaited immigration white paper, which has reportedly been delayed due to clashes between the Home Office and education officials over student visa numbers.
Businesses, the NHS, universities, and the social care sector are pushing for more flexible visa rules, while political pressure mounts to reduce overall migration. The Home Office has traditionally focused on tightening controls, but other departments, including the Treasury, Health, and Business, see migration as vital for economic growth, workforce stability, and trade expansion.
Sachin Savur, an IfG researcher and author of the report, said: “For too long, governments have failed to set clear objectives for migration policy or a realistic path to achieve them. Instead, they make sudden changes in response to headlines and statistics. An annual plan would allow ministers to take a strategic, cross-government approach that balances national priorities with economic needs.”
Net migration hit a record 906,000 in June 2023, fueling criticism that the Conservative government had lost control of borders post-Brexit. The IfG argues that an annual migration plan would restore credibility by fostering transparency about the costs and benefits of migration, improving coordination between departments, and providing long-term certainty for employers and institutions.
While the report dismisses an arbitrary cap on net migration as unworkable, it suggests that targeted limits on specific visa routes could be more effective if backed by a coherent, evidence-based strategy.
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