The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Business bosses told to invest in British workers
● Home secretary denies new rules will stop companies employing foreign staff
The home secretary has hit back at business critics of the government’s newly announced immigration system, telling private sector chiefs it is “about time” they started training up Britons.
Industry leaders warned that changes to UK immigration rules could “spell absolute disaster” for the care system as well as farmers, builders and hospitality businesses.
But Priti Patel said industries relying on a migrant workforce should look closer to home when recruiting new employees.
“It is about time businesses started to invest in people in this country,” she told Sky News.
“We have over eight million people – 20% of the workforce – aged between 16 and 64 that are economically inactive right now.
“It is down to businesses to work well with the government and join us in investing in people, levelling up across the UK so we can have wage growth across the entire country.”
The Cabinet minister said it was “ridiculous” to suggest the Home Office was putting the brakes entirely on those businesses recruiting from abroad.
She said workers could come to the UK as long as they were sponsored by an employer and met the pointsbased criteria, including earning at least £25,600 in skilled professions, as part of changes that will come into force next year.
“If they have an employer and they meet the skills and points threshold, then of course they can come to the United Kingdom to work,” Ms Patel added.
“It is ridiculous to imply that we are just shutting down routes and that people can’t come into the UK.”
The changes, announced on Tuesday, are designed to cut the number of lowskilled migrants entering Britain but aim to make it easier for higher-skilled workers to get UK visas.
A policy statement outlining 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 salary threshold for skilled migrants will be lowered to £25,600 for those coming to the UK with a job offer, and there may be concessions for those earning no less than £20,480 as long as they still meet certain requirements or their occupation is short of staff.
The Confederation of British Industry warned that care, construction, hospitality and food and drink companies could be most affected by the changes.
Unison assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said the plans “spell absolute disaster for the care sector”.
Dame Donna Kinnair, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, raised concerns that the proposals will “not meet the health and care needs of the population”.
National Farmers’ Union president Minette Batters expressed “serious concerns” about the government’s “failure to recognise British food and farming’s needs”.
The Lib Dems said the immigration proposals were based on “xenophobia” while a Labour spokesperson said the system would need so many exemptions it would be “meaningless”.
People who want to live and work in the UK will need to gain 70 points to be eligible to apply for a visa. Points will be awarded for key requirements like being able to speak English to a certain level and having a job offer.