New controls help protect jobs for British workforce

A raft of new government measures will ensure that resident workers can have every opportunity to fill vacancies before they are offered to workers abroad, the Home Secretary announced today.

Following careful consideration the Government has accepted the recommendations made by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) last month to tighten up the rules controlling when skilled workers are allowed to take jobs in the UK under the Government's points system.

This will mean that from next year, all jobs must be advertised to British workers in Jobcentre Plus for four weeks, extended from two weeks, before companies can seek to employ individuals from outside Europe. This will ensure that British workers are not only first in line for jobs but also now have more time in which to apply.

The Government will also extend the qualifying period for all those overseas workers who want to transfer to work at the UK base of their company meaning that they must have worked for their firm for at least a year rather than just six months prior to the move.

The minimum salary that will allow an individual to qualify as a skilled worker and be eligible to work in the UK will also rise from £17,000 to £20,000.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said:

"The introduction of the points based system has radically improved our ability to respond quickly to changing economic circumstances.

"We have now accepted all of the Migration Advisory Committee's recommendations and we will continue to work with them to make sure that we use the flexibility in the points based system to the best advantage of society and the economy.

"These changes will ensure that businesses can recruit the skilled foreign workers that the economy needs, but not at the expense of British workers, nor as a cheaper alternative to investing in the skills of the existing workforce."

A total of sixteen recommendations were put forward by the Migration Advisory Committee, all of which will now be put in place to ensure that the points based system does more to support UK workers while continuing to facilitate the trade, travel, and study that benefits the UK.

In reaching this decision, the Government has been advised by informative discussions with businesses and key public service organisations and the Government will continue to work with business to develop a plan for implementing the recommendations.

Managing labour immigration during economic growth and recession: International experiences with points-based systems

An international conference organised by the UK's Migration Advisory Committee (MAC).

An international conference to share different experiences of immigration points based systems will be hosted by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). The conference, being held in London on 7 September, will be attended by government representatives, migration advisors and academics from Canada, Australia, USA and Europe.

The global movement of migrant workforces is constantly fluctuating and the regulation of labour immigration has become a significant matter for public debate.

The current economic down turn has also added further momentum to the debate and although national contexts differ, there is significant scope for comparing, assessing and learning from different countries' experiences with managing labour immigration in times of economic growth and crisis.

The Chair of the MAC, Professor David Metcalf, said:

"Policymakers and experts from major immigration countries have come together to discuss their labour immigration policy experiences with a particular focus on the role and design of points-based systems.

"This conference is a chance for our key international partners to share their experiences of migration, in particular over the last two years, during the economic down turn."

New immigration rules are wrong

The proposals on new immigration rules being made by the Migration Advisory Committee are partial, partisan, wrongheaded and almost racist, claim UKIP."Trumpeting a possible cut of 5,000 skilled non EU workers is an insult to our intelligence," said Nigel Farage, the party's leader.

"When we suggested that we introduce a points-based visa scheme a few years ago we were denounced as racist", he said.

"Now the government have introduced the system they have of course got it wrong.

"Discriminating against non-EU skilled migrants is crazy. This includes Australia, New Zealand, India – where does the NHS think it is going to get it doctors from? – and America among others. Instead we must accept those from across the continent of Europe.

"If the Government was serious about dealing with the immigration issue facing this country we would not be cracking down on skilled workers who largely come from our cultural and real allies, both in the old dominions and across the world, but on the hundreds of thousands of unskilled immigrants from EU countries as well.

"It is no surprise that one of the results of these plans would be to cut down on highly-skilled coloured immigration. High skill jobs create jobs, whereas low and non-skilled migrants are the problem which due to our abdication over immigration policy to the European Union we are unable to deal with."

The MAC Report can be found here.

New immigration policy

The proposals on new immigration rules being made by the Migration Advisory Committee are partial, partisan, wrongheaded and almost racist" claim UKIP.

"Trumpeting a possible cut of 5,000 skilled non EU workers is an insult to our intelligence," said Nigel Farage, the party's leader today.

"When we suggested that we introduce a points based VISA scheme a few years ago we were denounced as racist", he went on, "but now the government have introduced the system they have of course got it wrong.

"Discriminating against non EU skilled migrants is crazy. This includes Australia, New Zealand, India, (and where does the NHS think it is going to get it doctors from?) and America amongst others. Instead we must accept those from across the Continent of Europe."

If the Government were serious about dealing with the immigration issue facing this country we would not be cracking down on skilled workers who largely come from our cultural and real allies, both in the old dominions and across the world, but on the hundreds of thousands of unskilled immigrants from EU countries as well.

It is no surprise that one of the results of these plans would be to cut down on highly skilled coloured immigration. High skill jobs create jobs, whereas low and non skilled migrants are the problem".

A problem, which due to our abdication over immigration policy to the European Union we are unable to deal with."

Meeting the needs of British workers while maintaining the interests of the UK economy, the Migration Advisory Committee recommends today

Immigration plays an important role in supporting the UK economy the Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) report into the workings of Tier 2 of the Points Based System (PBS) highlights.

However, the report recommends that the earnings thresholds for gaining points should be raised, jobs should be advertised within the UK for longer and the arrangements for intra-company transfers should be strengthened. Strong monitoring and enforcement of Tier 2 is also required.

Sponsored skilled workers from outside the EU can work in the UK under Tier 2 of the PBS. This gives British workers priority on all advertised jobs, but where British workers are not available, Tier 2 will let companies employ people from outside of the EU, making sure that there are no skill gaps in the British economy.

Chair of the Migration Advisory Committee, Professor David Metcalf said:

“In our first analysis of the PBS, the committee thinks that Tier 2 is working well, but our advice to the Government is that the labour market could be helped by requiring higher standards from skilled workers outside of the EU before we allow them to work in the UK.

“We believe that selective immigration that favours skilled workers, as the PBS does, is vital to ensure that the UK continues to be a good place to do business or invest.

“However, it is important that British workers are not displaced. We have therefore made a number of recommendations which will help to avoid undercutting and any disincentives to raise the skills of UK workers.”

The report’s main findings:

The structure of Tier 2 is, as a whole, well designed for achieving its economic aims and for encouraging immigration to adjust to changing demand over the economic cycle. The MAC does not consider that it needs to be substantially revised in light of the recession.

The MAC recommends that all routes in Tier 2 remain in place. However, it does recommend that some changes are made and that the UK Border Agency (UKBA) considers whether there are enough resources devoted to enforcement and the penalties for employers are sufficient.

The MAC was not asked to make recommendations on the economic contribution of dependants of PBS immigrants but found that, on the basis of the available evidence, they tend to be skilled individuals employed in unskilled or lesser skilled occupations. There was not sufficient evidence to enable the MAC to conclude if dependents had made an impact on UK workers and this requires further research.

The following recommendations are made with regard to the design and operation of Tier 2:
* UKBA considers whether specific professional qualifications should be regarded as equivalent to National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 3, or bachelors or masters degree level when allocating points under the PBS;
* masters degree be awarded 15 points in Tier 2, instead of the current 10 points;
* a requirement that migrant workers outside of the EU will earn £20,000 and workers without qualifications earn at least £32,000
* a new category to be established for key public service workers, with an added 5 points.

In terms of the Resident Labour Market Test route the MAC recommends that:
* the route be kept in place;
* the required duration of vacancy advertising be increased to four weeks for all jobs;
* the Government considers the scope for introducing a certification regime for at least those employers identified as high risk.

In terms of the intra-company transfer route the MAC recommends that:
* the route be kept in place;
* the route should not lead to a right to permanent residence;
* the qualifying period with the company overseas is extended from 6 to 12 months;
* a separate scheme is created for graduates only which would require 3 months prior experience with the company, but with a maximum stay in the UK of 12 months; and
* the Government gives consideration to whether the level of resource currently being devoted to enforcement of the intra-company transfers route is sufficient and whether the degree of transparency around enforcement of the system could be increased.

(Home Office) Government keeps work restrictions for Eastern Europeans

Strict working restrictions for Eastern Europeans will not be scrapped, the Government announced today.

The Worker Registration Scheme enables the Government to monitor the work A8 nationals do, and where in the country they do it - and so better plan for local services and ensure migration is working for the British labour market and the country as a whole.

Maintaining the restrictions also means A8 nationals will not have full access to benefits until they have been working and paying tax for at least 12 consecutive months.

The decision comes following independent, expert advice from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) on the benefits of the scheme to the British labour market. Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said:

"Migration only works if it benefits the British people, and we are determined to make sure that is what happens.

"That is why I am delighted to announce that we are keeping in place restrictions which mean we can continue to count how many people are coming here, and which limit Eastern Europeans' access to benefits."

The number of Eastern Europeans coming here to work has fallen dramatically. In the three months to December last year there were 29,000 applications from workers from these countries - down from 53,000 in the same period in 2007. Nevertheless, the Government is determined to do everything it can to ensure migration is controlled and works for the country as a whole.

According to Home Offce figures, the majority of workers coming from the A8 countries in 2008 were young - 78 per cent were aged between 18 and 34 - and only 11 per cent stated they had dependants living with them in the UK when they registered.

Also today, the Government is delivering on its promise to be tougher on European criminals and remove those that cause harm to our communities.

From today the deportation referral threshold for European criminals will be cut from 24 months imprisonment to 12 months for drugs, violent and sexual offences. This means these offenders will be automatically considered for deportation.

Mr Woolas said:

"We are determined to remove people that harm our communities - wherever they are from. That is why we are making it easier to kick out European criminals and stop them from returning.

"In 2007 we removed over 500 European nationals. By reducing the threshold for deportation, we will ensure that we can remove even more."

Tough new powers to remove Europeans who are not exercising their Treaty Rights - by working, studying or by being self-sufficient - were also introduced today. This will mean that anyone from Europe who is not playing by the rules will not be allowed to stay.