LONDON: Hundreds of immigrants, including many from India, suddenly find themselves unwanted in Britain as the Government has "arbitrarily'' changed the rules under which they were invited to come and settle here.

In 2003, the Government opened up immigration for highly skilled professionals and entrepreneurs to meet shortages in areas like IT, and to attract investment. Those who qualified under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) were offered full residency in Britain after they had stayed here for four years.

Lured by the prospect of a good life, an estimated 20,000 persons from around the world arrived here. Many gave up good jobs and sold their businesses in their own countries to make a life in Britain.

But thanks to a new regime, introduced last November and applied retrospectively, a large number of them are being forced to return home because they do not fulfil the higher income-levels and qualifications required under the revised criteria.

Six thousand affected

The Government claims that the changes are meant to prevent abuse of the system and to make sure only those who can benefit Britain are allowed to settle here.

Immigration Minister Liam Byrne has said the move "reinforces'' the Government's "firm but fair immigration policy by ensuring that only those who can benefit Britain through work or study will be allowed to come here.'' According to one estimate, some 6,000 persons are likely to be affected. They have accused the Government of "betraying'' them and launched a public campaign, including lobbying MPs.

"We respect Britain's right to change its immigration laws, but bringing people under one set of rules and then changing them at short notice to get rid of them is arbitrary,'' said a spokesman for the Voice of Britain's Skilled Immigrants, a protest group.

Padmanabhan Badrinath, a public health consultant, said he would not have come to Britain if he had known the Government would suddenly change the rules. "By applying changes to the immigration rules retrospectively, the Government has shattered the dreams of thousands of skilled migrants,'' he told one newspaper.

Another Indian said he would be jobless when he returns home. "Applying the new criteria retrospectively is arbitrary and a breach of the agreement under which we were offered migration in the first place,'' he said.

MPs, cutting across party lines, have objected to the decision to apply the rules with retrospective effect arguing that hundreds of people who came here in good faith and had the skills to contribute to British economy are being unfairly treated.

The Home Office said the change was "the first step towards a points-based system for managing migration'' launched in March last year to tackle "abuse'' of the immigration system.

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