Boris Johnson shared his immigration plan during a digital hustings hosted on Facebook (Picture: i-Images)

Boris Johnson has pledged to set up a points-based immigration system if he becomes prime minister.

The Australian-style set up would come under Mr Johnson’s plans to be ‘tougher on those who abuse our hospitality’, he said.

The front runner to succeed Theresa May said he wanted to ‘restore democratic control of immigration policy after we leave the EU’.

At the Tories’ digital leadership hustings on Wednesday, Mr Johnson, who has said he will take Britain out of the EU by October 31 ‘do or die’, insisted the chances of a no-deal Brexit were ‘a million-to-one against’.


However, he left open the option of suspending Parliament if MPs tried to block a no-deal break.



He said: ‘I am not attracted to archaic devices like proroguing.

Mr Johnson set out his policies at the hustings event in London (Picture: i-Images)

Boris’ rival Jeremy Hunt told the hustings he would write-off student debt for young entrepreneurs (Picture: PA)

‘Let’s get this thing done as a proud representative democracy that asked the people of this country a question, that received a very clear answer, that promised faithfully to put that answer into effect and now we have got to do it.’

Mr Johnson said he wanted to ‘learn from’ Australia, which he said had a simple system based on contribution, fairness and control.

‘We must be much more open to high-skilled immigration such as scientists, but we must also assure the public that, as we leave the EU, we have control over the number of unskilled immigrants coming into the country.

‘We must be tougher on those who abuse our hospitality. Other countries such as Australia have great systems and we should learn from them.’

The Immigration and Social Security Co-Ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill, which is currently at report stage, contains plans to end the existing automatic preference for EU citizens.

What is points-based immigration? A points-based immigration system involves a scoring system that may include factors such as education level, wealth, connection to the country, language fluency or the offer of a job. Non-citizens are granted eligible to emigrate to a country if they score above a threshold number of points based on those factors. Countries that use points-based immigration systems may have other pathways for potential immigrants – like immediate family, or people becoming refugees – so that meeting the points threshold is not necessary. The Australian system awards points to prospective skilled migrants based on age, English-language skills, employment record and qualifications.

Mr Johnson said he would ask the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to incorporate elements of the Australian points-based system into the UK’s new law.

It would include consideration of factors such as a firm job offer before arrival, the ability to speak English and blocking the ability to claim benefits immediately.

The former foreign secretary said he would also protect the rights of the three million EU nationals living in the UK, even if Britain left without a deal.

The Tory front runner has been touring the country hoping to attract Conservative votes (Picture: PA)

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He added: ‘This should have happened straight after the referendum.

‘I will sort it out immediately and make sure that this issue is properly dealt with and millions of people can stop worrying.’

Meanwhile, his rival for the Tory crown, Jeremy Hunt, has promised to write off tuition fee debt for young entrepreneurs who start up new businesses and take on staff.

He also signalled his support for maintaining free television licences for the over-75s following the controversial decision by the BBC to scrap them.

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