Legal News
Immigration Cap Fails To Impact Recruitment of Specialist Workers (14 September 2011)
Date: 14/09/2011
The government’s chief Immigration advisor has announced that there is no evidence that the Immigration cap on specialist workers is causing harm to the economy. Professor David Metcalf claims that the number of immigrants entering into UK from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) was calculated at less than half the allowed total.
From June 2010 to June 2011, 8,900 skilled workers came to the UK from outside the EEA. The cap is 20,700. Professor Metcalf, who heads the Migration Advisory Committee, has produced a list of 29 occupations that he claims can no longer justify non-EEA recruitment. The list includes veterinary surgeons, biology teachers, orchestral musicians, and medical consultants in the fields of obstetrics and gynaecology. The committee recommends that occupations in which there is a UK shortage of skilled workers should no longer be left open for non-EEA workers.
Professor Metcalf said that it is vital that the government, businesses, and educational establishments take action to increase the skill levels of the UK workforce, especially in occupation areas with a long-standing shortage of skilled workers. Professor Metcalfe claims that in doing so, the UK’s reliance on skilled migrant workers will be reduced in the long term and will benefit the economy.
The government wishes to reduce the non-EU Immigration limit from around 200,000 to "tens of thousands" by the year 2015. Non-EEA workers on salaries of over £150,000 per annum will be excluded from the government's limit.
Duncan Lewis houses one of the largest and most well respected Immigration departments in the UK. Their Immigration solicitors possess extensive knowledge and experience in Immigration and asylum law.