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Immigration news

BBC to review coverage of migration after accusations of liberal bias
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The BBC Trust Chairman, Lord Patten, has announced that the BBC has commissioned a review of its coverage of immigration in order to investigate allegations that it does not reflect all shades of opinion equally.

The BBC has a duty to be impartial written into its charter but some commentators, particularly those on the right, have accused it of bias on a range of issues. It is accused of being broadly left-wing, pro-immigration and pro-Europe.

Record number of visitors to Australia outstay their visas
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Figures released by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) show that a record number of travellers remained in Australia illegally after their visas had expired last year.

In the 12 months to June 2012 19,570 people outstayed their leave to remain in Australia. This is double the number who did so in 2007 (9330). In the month of April 2012 alone, 4,300 people outstayed their permission to remain. The figures show that a lower percentage of overstayers were deported from Australia last year than five years ago. 8,320 of the 19,570 were deported at a cost of around AUS$35-40m.

New cross party group on immigration established in UK parliament
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A new cross-party parliamentary group focussing on immigration has been established in the UK parliament. The group is chaired by the former Labour MP and immigration minister Barbara Roche and has two co-chairs; Gavin Barwell, the Conservative MP for Croydon since 2010 and Lord Dholakia; the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. The group also includes figures from business and the unions. The group is being launched with the express purpose of fostering an 'open and honest debate about the issues of migration'. Mayor of London Boris Johnson has written a letter of support.
Anti-immigration laws in Arizona 'have damaged state economy'
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A new report from the right-wing think tank The Cato Institute has found that anti-immigrant legislation introduced in Arizona in 2007 and 2010 has damaged the state economy. The report, The Economic Case against Arizona's Immigration Laws, was written by Cato Institute immigration policy analyst Alex Nowrasteh.
Conservative MP says UK migration target 'too blunt'
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Nadhim Zahawi, the UK Conservative Party's MP for Stratford-on-Avon, has said that the UK's coalition government must be careful to avoid damaging the economy by focussing too rigidly on the number of immigrants coming to the UK every year. On coming to power in 2010, the Coalition government's Home Secretary, Theresa May MP, promised to reduce net immigration from about 260,000 per year at the time to 'tens of thousands' by 2015.
Canadian minister announces more 'working holiday' visas for Irish
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The Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney visited Ireland last week. On Friday 5th October, Mr Kenney held a joint press conference with the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore. The two men announced an expansion of the Canada-Ireland International Experience Canada program .The ministers said that the number of International Experience Canada (IEC) working holiday visas granted to young Irish citizens will be nearly doubled to 10,000 annually from January 1st, 2014.