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An amnesty for long-term illegal immigrants could be worth up to £3billion a year to the economy, according to a new report.
A London School of Economics study, commissioned by London Mayor Boris Johnson, estimated that there are 618,000 illegal immigrants in Britain. About 71 per cent - or 442,000 - of these live in the capital.
A five-year residency plan could mean 67 per cent of the total would be eligible to stay in the UK.
The report claims that an amnesty would not lead to an increase in migration because of the absence of land borders in the UK. Mr Johnson said: "This report has introduced long overdue facts, hard evidence and academic rigour into a debate which has been dominated by myth, anecdote and hearsay.
"Far from a financial burden, as some suggest, this new research has found an amnesty could be worth up to £3billion a year to the country's economy.
"The study also demolishes the argument that an amnesty would inevitably lead to increased migration to the UK and identifies effective border controls as the vital factor in controlling and deterring illegal immigration."
An amnesty would, however, see an increase in spending on the welfare system and housing, the report adds.
The National Audit Office estimated that deporting all illegal immigrants from Britain would cost up to £4.7billion.
Only 111,265 illegal immigrants have been deported over 10 years since 1998, at a cost of £11,000 per person.
Reader views (21)
Im sure most of the long term immigrants now have a family here in the UK and will never be able to be deported now with their 4 or 5 kids who were born in the UK rolling off the production line. Granting an amnesty will save a lot of money on Lawyers fees and Border Force removals granted however most of the illegals will carry on working for cash in hand and will claim false benefits to boot, what a joke. This country has turned into the Worlds dustbin, no wonder the rich are carrying on screwing us over (bonuses etc), they're grabbing the money and will eventually bunk off putting the lid down on the way out.
- Dac - Ealing, London, 14/07/2009 10:22
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1. Boris did outline his stand on immigration before being elected. All mayoral candidates supported the pragmatic approach to regularising migrants. Anyone questioning why this has should simply google "mayoral candidates +immigration".
2. Once regularised, the migrants automatically become english. Regardless of dialect, culture or race. So the fear of being the only english person in your street is outdated. English people can not claim to love the multicultural society they live in, yet be afraid of multi-cultrualism down your street.
3. These 'illegal' migrants who have been here for 5 or more years are all currently doing some form of work. The assumption that they are all queuing up in soup kitchens for hand outs is ridiculous. Therefore the argument about straining the schools, nhs or social services becomes irrelevant because these pressure points have always been there since decades before. The migrants have always had babies on the NHS, sent their kids to school and are currently not living in caves...they pay rents and/or mortgages just like you.
4. The issue about rewarding 'criminals' is absurd as it simply encourages the UK to stick its head in the sand and hope that the problem will go away. Remember, Boris's support of this is meant to be resolving a big problem. They do not know how many people are in the country illegally, where they are or who they are.
- Bob, Oxford, Oxford, England, 22/06/2009 11:31
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This is a right decision ,they should to be regularised and let them live as a normal people ,those who appose they should join BNP ,we are not in support of BNP.thanks SIR JOHNSON.
- Steven, london,united kingdom, 18/06/2009 04:11
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An amnesty for "illegal" immigrants who have lived here for 5 years or more is a totally sensible idea. These people have been working while they are here - you can't claim benefits if you are illegal - and are unable to pay tax (except VAT) and NI. Unlike the majority of UK citizens, these people WANT to pay income tax! Rather than push people further into the margins of society, into the hands of criminals and gangmasters who exploit them, we should welcome people who have often travelled thousands of miles in dangerous conditions to reach this country so they can work and support their families. It worked in Spain, it would work here. Good idea.
- Nolan, London and loving it, 17/06/2009 09:49
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The economy has had it , save the people from this madness. An illegal immigrant is an illegal immigrant and should not be here full stop. There are plenty of people out there who would gladly come here legally, to work and contribute to our society.
- Mr S.Port, London, 16/06/2009 23:42
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Don't do it Boris, we did not vote you in to even think about amnesties, let alone allowing one.
This will be at your peril, you've been warned!!
- Mrs, London UK, 16/06/2009 17:17
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FACT - every country that has granted an amnesty to illegal immigrants has seen a massive increase in illegal immigration.
FACT - no one in the UK wants to see what are essentially criminals, (cheats and liars at best), have their illegal behaviour rewarded
FACT- the long term costs of providing them with benefits, child support, housing, free education and healthcare will cost more than £3 billion
FACT - it is morally corrupt to reward illegal immigrants with citizenship, when those immigrants who come here legally pay taxes and then leave
FACT - the social benefits, ie reduced population/overcrowding, significant reductions in the strain placed on Britain's infrastructure, housing requirements, welfare system and policing far outweigh the cost of removing them - £4.7 billion to remove 1 million illegal immigrants is a bargain
FACT - talk of an amnesty for illegal immigrants will only fuel support for the BNP, especially at a time when people are losing their jobs and the public at large want to see significant reductions in immigration.
- Jake, Kent UK, 16/06/2009 16:24
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For £3 billion to be achieved each of these people would have to be earning more than £20,000 each, what are the chances of that happening?
- Bob, Cheam, 16/06/2009 16:17
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Don't even go there about the financial rewards of allowing someone who is illegal to stay. This subject for me is much much more than money. It is about feeling like I don't belong in my own street because I am the only English person around,It is about 60% of violent crime in London being committed by kids of West Indian decent, It's about white flight, It is about liberal hypocracy(see white flight)and it is about the truth. When are we going to stop this madness or are we going to wait until the BNP get even more elected officials (plse don't tell me about how they got less votes this time etc )
- Gary, London, 16/06/2009 16:08
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Can I show you were to file your 'report' Boris?
- Jules_London, london, 16/06/2009 15:49
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WRONG!!! All it will do is encourage the following waves of illegals.
- Rogan, Irving, 16/06/2009 15:10
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X-reference this article with the co-runner - Met Police translator bill to increase to £20million. I wonder why? Thats just the translators fees. Add on all the other costs associated with just crime and disorder and you could easily double or treble that figure. Then include the social welfare costs. Not quite so attractive a figure after all of that.
- Tc, London, 16/06/2009 15:06
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All illegals should be fingerprinted, deported and told that because they broke British immigration laws, they are banned from re-entering the UK for 10 years. We should not be rewarding criminals. Further, politicians must surely now have realised that the British people will not tolerate politicians ignoring their wishes. British people DO NOT want more immigration and they want illegals deported as soon as possible.
- Anthony, London, 16/06/2009 15:01
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Will these 618,000 illegal immigrants be eliglble to join the Bullingdon club?
How about an amnesty for the rest of us from this relentless lunacy?
- Londoner, London, England, 16/06/2009 14:02
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They are here illegally and we reward them with an amnesty? We currently have increased unemployment and are struggling through a recession, so how will the amnesty improve the situation? In addition it's stated that "this new research has found an amnesty could be worth up to £3billion a year to the country's economy". How exactly, through taxes? These people already probably earn little enough as it is, and I'm sure their employers are happy with the fact that they don't have to provide them with benefits etc, while they remain illegal. So once they become 'legal' you think they will still have that job? No, they'll be waiting in queue for their benefits etc, which for some will be a damn site more lucrative to them than working. As with all immigration, there should only be opportunities made to those who can actually provide something to the host country, such as financial investment, specialist labour skills, excellent academic qualifications.
As for the comment "The National Audit Office estimated that deporting all illegal immigrants from Britain would cost up to £4.7billion". Well maybe if the immigration services and Government did a better job of managing ports of entry we wouldn't be in the predicament.
- Alan, East London, 16/06/2009 13:06
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So what Barmy Boris is saying is that crime does pay! Honest people would apply for asylum.
- Man U Fan, London, 16/06/2009 13:00
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Boris. Nobody who voted for you wants this. Nobody believes these numbers as they do not include the costs only expected tax revenues. Common sense tells you that most of these people have low-paid jobs where they would make little or no net contribution. NO!NO!NO!
- Mark, London, 16/06/2009 12:44
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Are the cost of translators at the Met part of these billions?
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants, 16/06/2009 12:42
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I would not have voted for Boris had I known he would be promoting an illegal immigrant amnesty as I think the sheer scale of immigration in London is unsustainable and this encourages more. The Tory party at the next election will only get my vote if their manifesto expressley states they will not support an illegal immigrant amnesty. I do not believe this report, many illegals work for cash and that will not change. How many more green spaces will have to be concreted over to provide housing? How long will council housing lists get, how much will welfare benefits increase, how long will national health waiting lists become once all the illegals have the "right" to these things? Do not the views of the majority count for anything? Polls tell us the majority of people are concerned about the scale of immigration - why do politicians ignore us?
- Ab, London, 16/06/2009 12:28
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Boris you sound like some lefty type at Haringey not a conservative.
The British public have had enough of these lies over the last 12 years, I'm so glad I didn't vote for you.
Are you sure you aren't Ken Livingstone in disguise, as you sound more like him each day.
SEND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BACK, THERE IS A PROCESS TO GO THROUGH IF YOU WANT TO COME HERE.
- P Staker, London, 16/06/2009 12:06
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Amnesty would enrourage more people to abuse the system. 618,000 illegal immigrants DREAM ON.
- Gary, brentwood, 16/06/2009 11:48
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