LONDON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Britain said on Tuesday it would cap the number of skilled migrant workers it allows from outside the European Union at 21,700 a year, a cut of more than a fifth from 2009 levels.
Employees sent to work in Britain by companies from another country would not be subject to a cap if they earned more than 40,000 pounds ($63,750) a year, Home Secretary Theresa May told parliament.
"We must tighten up our immigration system," May said. "It is possible to reduce numbers while promoting growth and underlining the message that Britain is open for business."
Britain will cut the number of highly skilled workers who enter the country without a job offer by 13,000 from last year's level to 1,000 and permits will be limited to "exceptional talent" such as scientists, academics and artists.
The number of workers with job offers will be increased by nearly 7,000 to 20,700, although tighter rules will be applied, restricting permits to graduate-level jobs, May said. There will be no limit on investors and entrepreneurs.
May also said the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government, which plans to bring net migration down to the tens of thousands from nearly 200,000 by 2015, would stop temporary workers coming to Britain and settling permanently.
"We will end the link between temporary and permanent migration," she said.
(Reporting by Matt Falloon; editing by Keith Weir)