While UK employers require highly skilled workforce and skilled migrants from overseas to remain competitive, a number of changes are needed to limit the number of skilled migrants from entering or remaining in the UK, according to a report by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) on the new points-based system (PBS).
 
The report acknowledges that UK employers are not in favour of Tier 2 of the PBS, introduced in November 2008 to replace the work permit scheme, to be limited to shortage occupations only.

Tier two for skilled workers was launched on the 27 November and requires companies to have a sponsorship licence to employ immigrants from outside the EU.

The MAC also recommends a further raft of measures designed to create additional obstacles to the use of a new scheme which employers are already struggling to implement.  

These include:

·         increasing the threshold of earnings to a minimum of £20,000

·         workers without qualifications must earn at least £32,000

·         increasing application fees for Tier 2

·         increasing the period that a role has to be advertised for a minimum of one week (in some cases) to four weeks

·         increasing the period before an employee can transfer from an overseas branch to the UK by an intra-company transfer from six months to 12 months

·         preventing employees who transferred to the UK by an intra-company transfer at the request of an employer, in most cases to assist the UK branch of that company, from obtaining settlement and to prevent them from then earning the right to become British citizens.

Tracy Evlogidis, head of immigration at law firm Speechly Bircham, said: “It is clear from the recommendations that employers will face an incredibly difficult task in recruiting skilled migrants from overseas, no matter how special they are and who they are.  

“At a time when the UK is struggling to recover and when UK employers must have the flexibility to attract the highest calibre skilled workers to build strong workforce for a successful future, irrespective of nationality.  

“The MAC’s recommendations could jeopardise this. Employers will also be frustrated that they need to take further changes into account when planning their short and long term recruitment strategies.”