Former Labour MP Steve McCabe has called for the UK government to focus on the "quality" of immigrants rather than their countries of origin.
Speaking about immigration policy, McCabe emphasised that "people with a trade" should be the priority.
Some experts argue that nationality-based selection using fiscal contribution data would be more effective.
Recent discussions have highlighted the lack of rigorous assessment of immigration's economic impact compared to other policies.
Former Labour MP Steve McCabe has called for the UK government to focus on the 'quality' of immigrants rather than their countries of origin
GB NEWS
Critics suggest the current approach treats all migrants as interchangeable, without considering potential lifetime costs.
The Office for Budget Responsibility found last year that low-wage migrants have a highly negative lifetime contribution.
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Speaking to GB News, Former Labour MP Steve McCabe said: "Well, I'm not sure we should be focusing on countries. I think we should be focusing on the individuals who are coming here.
"We should be making sure we have people with the qualifications and skills that will benefit this country and be an asset to it.
"I think it's actually quite difficult to be clear about it on a country-by-country basis.
"Because despite the research you mentioned, I believe there’s also research showing that Pakistani Americans do far better in American society than the vast majority of their counterparts in this country.
"That would suggest the issue may be more about the individuals you're actually bringing in. I don’t know enough about that specific detail, but the point I’m making is that we should concentrate on the individual.
"There are examples from the past. I know Bangladesh has made some economic progress in recent years, but at one stage we had a reciprocal health agreement with Bangladesh because we could bring in well-trained doctors and nurses who came here and supported our health service.
"And, actually, they would often return to Bangladesh and help their country as well. So it’s about the quality and skills of the people you’re bringing in and their track record."
Some commentators now advocate for publishing "league tables" showing how much migrants from different countries contribute fiscally, broken down by visa route and nationality.
Some commentators now advocate for publishing 'league tables'
PAThey argue this data is essential for designing a sensible immigration system. Studies have repeatedly shown significant differences in fiscal contributions between migrant groups.
EU migrants tend to make a positive fiscal contribution, while non-EU migrants often show a negative one.
The Home Office is set to reveal the nationalities of foreign criminals alongside their offences for the first time - showing countries of origin for people being prepared for deportation by the Government.
A Home Office release cited "heightened interest from parliamentarians, the media and members of the public" as justification for compiling the more detailed data.
