02 May 2017

Ipsos MORI: Most think Theresa May will not achieve her target to cut net migration to the “tens of thousands”

New polling by Ipsos MORI shows UK public support for visas for EU citizens working in high skilled jobs – but not the “barista visa”. If prices do increase from cutting immigration, there's public split on whether that’s a price worth paying in order to reduce immigration.

New polling by Ipsos MORI finds most Britons are pessimistic about Theresa May’s likelihood of success to hit her target to cut net migration to the “tens of thousands” in the next few years. Two in three (68%) say that it is either not at all likely or fairly unlikely that the Conservatives will be able to achieve this target while just 18% think that they will. Nevertheless, when it comes to deciding what a “sustainable” level of net migration should be only one in five (20%) think this is would be 100,000 or above (after being told that it currently stands at 273,000). Half (49%) think it should be 100,000 or less and 30% are unsure.

The public have different views on whether special visas should be offered to EU citizens for different jobs. When it comes to allowing special visas for certain worker types baristas were not amongst those which the public believe should be offered such as visa – one in three (33%) think they should while half (52%) think they shouldn’t. [...]

When it comes to the economic effect of reducing immigration one in three Britons (32%) think that it will cause prices on goods and services to be higher than they would be otherwise. Two in five (40%) however think that it would make no difference (6% think prices will decrease while 22% say they’re unsure). The public are more likely to think however that reducing immigration may have an effect on prices for goods and services within industries reliant on immigration, such as care homes, taxi cab fares and food prices. Forty-five percent think prices in these industries will be higher than they would otherwise while three in ten (30%) think it will make no difference.

If overall prices increase as a result of curbing immigration the public are split on whether this would be a price worth paying. Two in five (42%) say that if costs go up it would be a price worth paying to reduce immigration while 37% think it wouldn’t be a price worth paying because of the problems it would cause for businesses and consumers (21% don’t know).

Full survey

© Ipsos MORI