The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Employers ‘will need to adjust’ on immigration
POLITICS: Government says UK must not rely on ‘cheap labour from Europe’
Changes to the UK’S immigration system will not include a visa option for low-skilled migrant workers after Brexit and employers “will need to adjust”, the government has said.
A policy statement outlining plans for a new points-based system after freedom of movement ends said the economy needs to move away from a reliance on “cheap labour from Europe”.
The changes are designed to cut the number of low-skilled migrants entering Britain from the beginning of next year but aim to make it easier for higherskilled workers to get UK visas.
The “firm and fair” system will instead “attract the high-skilled workers we need to contribute to our economy, our communities and our public services”, according to the paper.
Published last night, it said: “We will not introduce a general low-skilled or temporary work route.
“We need to shift the focus of our economy away from a reliance on cheap labour from Europe and instead concentrate on investment in technology and automation. “Employers will need to adjust.” But the EU Settlement Scheme, designed to give EU citizens permission to stay and work in the UK after Brexit, will “provide employers with flexibility to meet labour market demands”, it said.
The document added: “We recognise that these proposals represent significant change for employers in the UK and we will deliver a comprehensive programme of communication and engagement in the coming months.
“We will keep labour market data under careful scrutiny to monitor any pressures in key sectors.”
Employers will have until January 1 2021 to meet the requirements and ensure their staff have a right to work in the UK.
The decision comes after campaigners warned that putting up barriers on hiring staff from overseas could cause “huge difficulties” in social care and may prevent carers being able to come to the UK to work.
Announcing the policy during a visit to Imperial College in west London, Home Secretary Priti Patel told the PA news agency: “It is right that people should speak English before they come to our country, that they should have a sponsored route, whether it’s through employment or a sponsored route through an academic institution.”
Asked whether individuals who have an offer from an academic institution, but cannot speak English, would still be able to come to the UK, Ms Patel said: “We’re being very clear about this – this is a system that puts the British Government in control of its immigration policy for the first time in decades.
“I’m here at Imperial College and I’ve been looking at the route for global talent – people that obviously will need to speak English, have an offer from an institution, global talent routes, scientists, mathematicians, academics, the people that absolutely should be coming to our amazing institutions, such as Imperial College and other first-class universities across the country, to very much work and learn at universities, but obviously to work in partnership – this university (Imperial College) works with businesses as well to develop skills, the future skills that our economy and our country needs.”
Asked what assurances could be given to those already living in the UK who do not meet the thresholds outlined, Ms Patel said: “Well, I think first and foremost we have a number of routes and importantly we have the EU Settlement Scheme.
“It’s important to recognise this is the biggest scheme of this nature that the British Government has operated and we’ve obviously had a huge number of registrations – over 3.2 million applications – giving EU citizens their settled status in the United Kingdom, them and their families, so that they continue to live and to work and to contribute to our country, which is a great thing and it shows that we are open, we’re positive, we’re open for business, but I think importantly we are open to the world and that is effectively what our points-based system will achieve for our country.”
The home secretary also said discussions had been held with the devolved administrations ahead of the announcement last Wednesday.
“Of course this is a system for the whole of the United Kingdom,” she said.
“There’s been discussions taking place across the whole of government for a number of months and, in fact, even prior to the general election there had been discussions taking place across all government departments and the devolved administrations.”
This is the biggest scheme of this nature that the British Government has operated. PRITI PATEL