A report commissioned by London Mayor Boris Johnson has found an earned amnesty for “irregular” migrants could be worth almost £850 million per year in additional tax revenue.
Carried out by the London School of Economics, the report follows calls by the London Assembly for the Mayor to join it in lobbying the Westminster Government to introduce a time limited regularisation process for suitable migrants.
Welcoming today’s publication, London Assembly Chair Darren Johnson AM said the report “lends further economic weight to the argument in favour of regularising the status of hundreds of thousands of Londoners who are already making a significant contribution to the capital’s wealth.”
Mr Johnson added: “In the midst of a recession it would be tantamount to negligence to ignore the potential to add £3 billion per annum to UK GDP by introducing a limited and earned amnesty for hard working migrants who demonstrate a commitment to contributing fully to our society.”
In a statement issued on Monday, the Mayor said the report “has introduced some long overdue facts, hard evidence and academic rigour into a debate which has far too often been dominated by myth, anecdote and hearsay.”
“So far from a financial burden, as some suggest, this new research has found an amnesty could be worth up to £3 billion 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.”
