My sister moved to New Zealand about 10 years ago and a number of my friends are often talking about moving to Aus, or NZ. I've always been quite critical of the points policy that these countries have, so that certain people can get in and others cannot. Yet today, in the UK we introduced our own points system.
My problem with this is that we will simply be creaming the best off other countries, and therefore perpetuating the problem of a unbalanced global environment. Those with education and wealth can move here; those who have struggled in formal education and are poorer will not be allowed in. The poorer will then be living in countries where there is a lack of skilled workers because they are all here.
Surely there needs to be a balance, where for every person who passes the points system we also except a person who would dramatically fail it. It's about valuing humanity as humanity, about recognising the potential in all people rather than seeing humanity as a commodity in our market place.