Johnson promises lower immigration if he wins election

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised lower immigration if he wins power in an election on Thursday, but said he was not hostile to allowing foreigners to work and live in Britain overall.

Britain votes on December 12 in an election which will decide the fate of Brexit and the world's fifth-largest economy with a stark choice between Johnson's pro-market Conservatives and the socialist-led opposition Labour Party.

"Numbers will come down because we'll be able to control the system in that way," Johnson told Sky News. "And what I don't think is right is to have an uncontrolled and unlimited approach to that."

Johnson has promised a points-based approach to control immigration. He said his focus would be cutting down on unskilled migration, but that there would be scope for high skilled and other workers to come to Britain.

"I'm not hostile to immigration ... I'm a believer in allowing people to come to this country and I think if they have talents and they want to do things and make their lives in the UK and they can contribute to our country - fantastic."