<p><br /> A cap on non-EU immigration will be introduced from next month as the coalition seeks to avoid a last-ditch influx to Britain.<br /> </p><p><br /> Just 24,100 workers from outside Europe will be allowed into the country before April, with highly-skilled migrants having to meet tighter conditions, it was revealed.<br /> </p><p><br /> Home Secretary Theresa May will announce the move on Monday, as she launches the consultation process for deciding the level of the permanent cap.<br /> </p><p><br /> Aides played down reports of concerns among senior Tories over the effect of restrictions on businesses, insisting the policy was not being watered down.<br /> </p><p><br /> Education Secretary Michael Gove and Universities minister David Willetts were both said to have expressed doubts in Cabinet discussions this week.<br /> </p><p><br /> The Liberal Democrats opposed a cap during the General Election campaign, but signed up to the Tory idea as part of the coalition deal.<br /> </p><p><br /> Ms May is understood to have decided interim limits were necessary after studying how immigration numbers "spiked" when Labour gave advance warning about restrictions.<br /> </p>
