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Foreign workers increased in 2008 Foreign workers increase by 3.9%
(10 minutes later)
The amount of National Insurance numbers issued to foreign workers went up last year by nearly 30,000, the Office for National Statistics says. The amount of National Insurance numbers issued to foreign workers went up last year by 27,000 to 733,000, the Office for National Statistics says.
The figures show 733,090 National Insurance numbers were issued. The 3.9% increase was the lowest since 2002 but included a 4.75% rise in workers from new EU countries, with Poles making up the biggest number.
The ONS is also set to release quarterly statistics on immigration, asylum, removals and voluntary departures. There was a 3% drop in asylum applications in the fourth quarter of 2008, separate figures show.
It comes after a row over foreign workers sparked wildcat strikes at a Lincolnshire oil refinery in January. The number of asylum seekers granted settlement continued to fall.
Thousands of workers at more than 20 sites joined strikes which started among workers at Lindsey Oil Refinery in Lincolnshire - they returned to work after a deal on the use of foreign labour.
Points-based systemPoints-based system
On Sunday Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she was "raising the bar" for non-EU workers seeking skilled jobs.On Sunday Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she was "raising the bar" for non-EU workers seeking skilled jobs.
Immigrants should not be able to take them unless they had been advertised to British workers first, she told the BBC.Immigrants should not be able to take them unless they had been advertised to British workers first, she told the BBC.
Non-EU workers have to go through a points-based system to seek work but most EU citizens face no restrictions.Non-EU workers have to go through a points-based system to seek work but most EU citizens face no restrictions.
Ms Smith told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that it was right the government made sure that the points-based system was "responding to the current economic circumstances".Ms Smith told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that it was right the government made sure that the points-based system was "responding to the current economic circumstances".
"I'm proposing, for example, that it shouldn't be possible for somebody to come into this country to take a skilled job unless that job has been advertised to a British worker through Jobcentre Plus.""I'm proposing, for example, that it shouldn't be possible for somebody to come into this country to take a skilled job unless that job has been advertised to a British worker through Jobcentre Plus."
From April, non-EU workers wanting to come to Britain without securing a job beforehand must have a master's degree - rather than a bachelor's degree, as currently - and a previous salary equivalent to at least £20,000.From April, non-EU workers wanting to come to Britain without securing a job beforehand must have a master's degree - rather than a bachelor's degree, as currently - and a previous salary equivalent to at least £20,000.
The Conservatives say the government is only tinkering at the edges of the problem and say a cap on immigrants from outside the EU is needed.The Conservatives say the government is only tinkering at the edges of the problem and say a cap on immigrants from outside the EU is needed.