COVID-19是否会永久改变英国对移民的态度？

During the lead up to the Brexit vote in 2016, political debate in the UK was often focused on immigration, with the migrant crisis reaching its peak just a year prior.在XNUMX年英国脱欧公投之前，英国的政治辩论通常集中在移民问题上，而移民危机仅在一年前就达到了顶峰。 And whilst perhaps not the sole reason as to why the UK public voted to leave the EU, it's evident that concerns surrounding尽管也许不是英国公众投票决定退出欧盟的唯一原因，但很明显，围绕 移民产生了重大影响 Reanna Smith写道。

But fast forward four years, three prime ministers, an endless slog of negotiations and a global pandemic, and it's clear that Britain isn't the same country it was during the 2016 referendum.但是四年过去了，三位总理，无休止的谈判s和全球性大流行，很明显，英国与XNUMX年公投时的国家不同。 The UK is just now seeing what leaving the European Union will mean, with the英国刚刚看到离开欧盟意味着什么， 新 拟议的移民规则 计划于2021年初开始实施，但围绕冠状病毒的争论已经发生了巨大变化。 

根据 益普索森, immigration has been one of the top issues concerning the UK public for years, but with the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, it's suddenly dropped from the top 10 list altogether.多年来，移民一直是英国公众最关注的问题之一，但是随着冠状病毒大流行的爆发，移民总数突然从前十名中下降了。 It's no surprise that COVID-19 has taken the top spot, but there's不足为奇的是COVID-XNUMX占据了头把交椅，但是 证据表明 由于大流行已经大大改变了人们对该问题的态度，移民已经消失了。 

COVID-19强调了移民对国家的重要性，在应对大流行的第一线中，大量的“关键工人”构成了移民。 According to the根据 下议院的最新报告，NHS中有超过169,000名非英国员工，占我们医疗服务的13.8％。 Not only have immigrants been vital to saving lives during the pandemic in the UK, but they've also been affected more than anyone else in the country.在英国大流行期间，移民不仅对挽救生命至关重要，而且与英国其他任何人相比，他们受到的影响也更大。 大赦国际最近透露 that throughout the pandemic the UK has had one of the highest death rates amongst healthcare workers, with BAME (black, Asian, and Minority-ethnic) workers being disproportionately affected by this.在整个大流行中，英国是医疗保健工作者中死亡率最高的国家之一，而BAME（黑人，亚洲和少数民族）的工人受到的影响尤其严重。 This was a fact further highlighted when it was revealed in April that the 10 doctors, all of whom were immigrants, had died from coronavirus.当四月份发现所有十名医生都是移民而死于冠状病毒时，这一事实得到了进一步突出。 So, whilst COVID has devastated many people, there's no dispute that immigrants working in the NHS and health care system have taken a disproportionate hit.因此，尽管COVID摧毁了许多人，但毫无疑问，在NHS和医疗保健系统工作的移民遭受了不成比例的打击。 

同样很明显，这项巨大的牺牲对英国的舆论和政策产生了影响。 2016年，英国人口中有三分​​之一的人将移民视为头等大事。 But from April to July immigration had almost dropped off the political agenda但是从四月到七月，移民几乎脱离了政治议程. 随着移民成为大流行的英雄，小报的头条新闻从 侮辱移民 至 赞扬他们的贡献。 At the same time, MP's began calling for foreign NHS workers to have their visas extended for free and the public was outraged that those fighting to save lives were having to pay a surcharge to use the very same system they played a key role in. This eventually resulted in Boris Johnson announcing he would scrap the £400-a-year fees.同时，国会议员开始呼吁外国NHS工人免费延长其签证，而公众为那些为挽救生命而奋斗的人必须支付附加费才能使用他们所扮演的关键角色的系统感到愤怒。最终导致鲍里斯·约翰逊（Boris Johnson）宣布他将取消每年XNUMX英镑的学费。

As well as this, the new immigration rules have come under fire for being hypocritical of the government's “key worker” list.除此之外，新的移民规定因对政府的“关键工人”名单虚伪而备受抨击。 The new points-based system will require immigrants to have a job offer with a salary of at least £25,600 to be granted the title of “skilled worker” and be eligible for a新的基于积分的制度将要求移民提供至少XNUMX英镑薪水的工作机会，才能被授予“熟练工人”的称号并有资格获得 2级工作签证。 Many occupations considered vital during the last 6 months don't come with salaries high enough to fit this requirement.在过去的XNUMX个月中，许多被认为至关重要的职业的薪水都不足以满足这一要求。 A massive巨大的 58岁至49岁的欧盟出生的25％的非欧盟出生的全职关键工人的64％不符合Tier 2签证的资格 根据新提出的移民规则。 

尽管公众态度发生了变化，移民政策也发生了变化，但八月份的反移民情绪却在飙升。 记录过英吉利海峡的寻求庇护者人数 看到英国媒体和政界人士再次将移民问题列为首要议程。 

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鲍里斯·约翰逊（Boris Johnson）暗示移民将会更加严格， 庇护法， 只要 four months after his life was saved by two immigrant nurses when he contracted the virus himself.他自己感染病毒后，四个移民护士救了他的性命四个月。 Painting immigration as a big issue now may be down to the现在将移民问题作为一个大问题可能归结于 即将到来的经济衰退 that the UK faces, as the government looks to push the blame onto anyone but themselves.英国面临的挑战，因为政府希望将责任推给除了自己以外的任何人。 Ironically,讽刺地， 移民可能被证明对帮助该国经济复苏非常必要，而更严格的限制将意味着医疗，教育和酒店等行业的移民人数太少。 

Despite the move towards more negative perceptions once again by the media and politicians, it's too early yet to tell whether the public will follow suit.尽管媒体和政界人士再次朝着更负面的看法迈进，但现在还不能断定公众是否会效仿还为时过早。 The pandemic has taught the UK many things but perhaps most importantly, it's taught us that the economic value of human beings it most definitely not a reflection of the value these same people may hold to society.大流行已经教会了英国很多事情，但也许最重要的是，它告诉我们，人类的经济价值最明确地不是在反映这些人对社会的价值。 The post-pandemic landscape should reflect the UK's appreciation for immigrants, but the proposed changes fail to do this.大流行后的景象应该反映出英国对移民的赞赏，但是提议的改变未能做到这一点。 

瑞安娜·史密斯（Reanna Smith）为移民咨询服务写信， a 专职律师团队 提供各种建议和帮助 移民问题。  

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