WALES‘ ‘NEEDS CLARITY OVER MIGRATION’
WELSH and Scottish ministers have called for an urgent meeting with the UK Government’s Future Borders and Immigration Minister, Kevin Foster, to discuss the new migration policy due to replace existing arrangements at the beginning of 2021.
They fear Westminster’s current plans will damage the economies of Wales and Scotland.
Two weeks ago the Home Office published the latest version of its new points-based immigration policy, under which new migrants from EU and non-EU countries will be treated the same.
Skilled workers will be expected to earn either a minimum of £25,600 or be paid the “going rate” in a specific profession, if that is higher.
Other routes to working in the UK legitimately are possible, but so far the Home Office has not confirmed whether a pilot scheme for seasonal workers will be renewed.
In their letter to Mr Foster, Welsh Counsel General and Minister for European Transition Jeremy Miles and Ben Macpherson, the Scottish Government’s Minister for Public Finance and Migration, state: “We write to reiterate our urgent request for a meeting between all four nations of the UK, to discuss migration policy.
“Following the round-table meeting on July 23 2019 with Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP [the then Immigration Minister], Scottish Government Ministers and Welsh Government Ministers have written to UK Government Ministers multiple times to request engagement, and yet we have still not been offered a meeting to discuss the end of the transition period and the planned changes to the immigration system that are scheduled to commence imminently on January 1 2021.
“With one month left to the end of the transition period, we are increasingly concerned that the devolved governments have not been given an opportunity to meaningfully engage on the impact of the planned changes and the end of freedom of movement.
“This is particularly worrying as migration is a cross-cutting policy area affecting many aspects of devolved competency – including housing, healthcare and the delivery of vital public services.
“As you know, we continue to engage with the Review of Intergovernmental Relations and draft proposals in good faith. A key part of the review is that intergovernmental decisions will continue to work on the basis of agreement by consensus in areas of mutual interest.
“Given the crucial importance of keeping all our citizens safe now and as we emerge from the pandemic, it is vitally important that we seek to work together on areas where devolved and reserved issues intersect, like migration.
“We hope that we can rely on your cooperation and engagement, and that a meeting is arranged prior to the end of the transition period, to ensure the future prosperity of all nations of the UK.”
A Welsh Government policy paper on immigration states: “Setting the threshold for eligibility to apply for a work visa at an annual salary of £25,600 for a full-time employee would severely constrict labour supply in many sectors in Wales. These include manufacturing, higher education, tourism and hospitality, culture and the arts, health and social care.
“If a salary threshold must be set, then it would be far simpler to set one threshold of £20,000. This would go a long way to protecting public services and businesses in Wales from the shock which ending free movement of labour will cause.
“It will also be important that any future threshold can be calculated on a pro-rata basis. Without a pro-rata allowance, part-time workers – predominantly women – will face discrimination under the new immigration system.
“The Welsh economy continues to need a range of international workers from across the skills spectrum. The seasonal agricultural workers scheme will have a limited effect in Wales because there is little demand for seasonal workers; the demand in Wales is for workers all year round.
“We ask the UK government to provide for an unsponsored visa with a route to settlement if an individual is able to upskill to RQF [Regulated Qualifications Framework] level 3+ during this time. This would be consistent with the proposed idea of a points-based system in which having a job offer would be only one criterion.
“We also believe that a future immigration system should not be implemented on the basis of criteria which deter people who are intending to work on a self-employed basis.”
The Scottish Government has argued for a tailored migration policy for Scotland with new powers for the Scottish Parliament. It proposes undertaking public consultation in designing and developing such a policy, including discussions with communities, migrants, employers, trade unions, public services and wider civic society about the values that would underpin policy.
So far, the UK Government has insisted on a “whole UK” approach.