London (PTI): In a controversial recommendation to curb the UK population, a cross-party parliamentary group has suggested that skilled immigrants from non-EU countries should be sent home at the end of their four-year visa, a move that may affect Indian immigrants living there.

The group headed by Frank Field and Nicholas Soames, former Labour and Tory ministers respectively, called on ministers to balance the number of immigrants entering the country against those leaving.

It would also help limit the UK's population growth and ease pressure on public services, the report drawn up by Migrationwatch said.

At present, the vast majority of non-European Union entrants granted visas to work in this country stay on after they expire and are permitted to settle permanently.

Under the Field-Soames model, the only chance non-EU immigrants would have of staying beyond their visa period would be if immigrants proved they had 'exceptional intellectual, scientific or artistic merit' and did not breach a new annual quota -- to be set at 20,000 -- which would include dependants.

The report will be published ahead of a Home Office announcement on Tuesday revealing more details of its points-based permit system.

The report, called 'Balanced Migration' claims such measures would limit England's population, now 51 million, to 65 million by 2050, compared with projected population of 78.6 million by the middle of the century.