U.K.
employers “will need to adjust” to not being able to recruit unskilled workers
from Europe, according to a new report | Matt Cardy/Getty Images
UK shuts
the door to unskilled migrants
British
government tells employers to ‘adjust’ to not being able to recruit low-skilled
workers from Europe.
By CRISTINA
GALLARDO 2/18/20, 11:30 PM CET Updated 2/18/20, 11:47 PM CET
LONDON —
The U.K. government will not create a visa route for low-skilled migrants and
temporary workers in its post-Brexit immigration system, which will give “top
priority” to those with the highest skills, including scientists, engineers and
academics.
A policy
paper published Tuesday evening outlines plans for a new points-based system
after EU freedom of movement ends in December. The report said employers “will
need to adjust” to not being able to recruit unskilled workers from Europe.
“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,” the paper said.
“It is
important that employers move away from a reliance on the U.K.’s immigration
system as an alternative to investment in staff retention, productivity and
wider investment in technology and automation.”
Carolyn
Fairbairn, director-general of the employers’ group CBI, said firms in the
care, construction, hospitality, food and drink sectors could be most affected.
“In some
sectors firms will be left wondering how they will recruit the people needed to
run their businesses,” she said. “Firms know that hiring from overseas and
investing in the skills of their workforce and new technologies is not an
‘either or’ choice — both are needed to drive the economy forward.”
The report
recognizes the proposals represent “a significant change” for employers in the
U.K., but pointed to a group of about 170,000 recently arrived non-EU citizens
working in low-skilled occupations, saying this kind of workforce will continue
to be available.
It added
that U.K. employers could also recruit low-skilled workers from among those
Europeans already in the country, and restated the government’s commitment to
quadruple the pilot scheme for seasonal workers in agricultural jobs to 10,000
places.
Points-based
system
According
to the paper, skilled migrants from the EU and elsewhere wishing to work in
Britain will need to demonstrate that they have a job offer from an approved
sponsor; that the job offer is at the required skill level (A level minimum),
and that they speak English. They will be able to make an application for a visa
if, in addition to this, they meet the minimum salary threshold — which the
government plans to lower from £30,000 to £25,600.
However,
the salary threshold will not be a hard stop. As long as applicants earn
£20,480 or more, they may still be able to live in the U.K. if they can
demonstrate that they have a job offer in an occupation judged to be most
needed, or if they have a Ph.D. relevant to the job.
The
Migration Advisory Committee, an independent body reporting to the Home Office,
will produce a shortage occupation list detailing all jobs covered by the
points-based system. This will make it easier for the government to address
shortages in the NHS, for instance.
Meanwhile,
the most highly skilled will be able to enter the U.K. without a job offer if
they are endorsed by a relevant body and they can achieve the required level of
points.
The Home
Office also floated plans for an even broader route — with no endorsement from
an organization at all — that would allow a small number of the most highly-skilled
workers to move to the U.K. without a job offer, but the department warned this
additional route is likely to be capped and “will take longer to implement.”
The
points-based system will be introduced next January, but the Home Office
expects that it will be refined, both in the coming months and after it is
implemented. The government pledged to reduce the time it takes for work visas
to be granted to eight weeks.
Most EU
citizens will be issued an electronic visa and will need to use an online
checking service to demonstrate their right to be in the U.K. when applying for
a job or using public services. This is likely to become a contentious issue
after campaigners for the rights of EU citizens criticized the EU Settlement
Scheme for not providing physical evidence of status.
Innovators,
ministers of religion, sportspeople, artists and entertainers from the EU will
fall outside the points-based system, and will instead be allowed to apply to
visit the U.K. through existing routes that already apply to non-EU
specialists. Europeans visiting the U.K. for up to six months will be able to
travel without a visa, but will not be allowed to work.
Labour's
Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott criticized the plan, saying it would be
harder for U.K. firms to attract the workers they need at all skill levels.
“This isn’t
an ‘Australian points-based system,’ which is a meaningless government
soundbite," she said. "It's a salary threshold system, which will
need to have so many exemptions, for the NHS, for social care and many parts of
the private sector, that it will be meaningless."
Authors:
Cristina Gallardo
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