August 9, 2024
3 mins read

UK govt to curb overseas hiring for tech, engineering jobs

Last year, the Tories announced sharp increases in salary thresholds for skilled workers, who must now generally earn at least the median for their occupation, in a bid to slash immigration from a recent record of 745,000…reports Asian Lite News

Keir Starmer’s government has signalled it wants to curb overseas hiring by technology and engineering companies after it asked its independent advisers on migration to review the sectors’ reliance on skilled worker visas.

Yvette Cooper on Wednesday asked the Migration Advisory Committee to investigate which roles in tech and engineering were suffering shortages, whether pay, training and conditions explained any shortfalls, and how employers had sought to adapt other than by hiring from abroad.

While the government was “very grateful for the contribution that people from all over the world make to our economy . . . the system needs to be managed and controlled”, the home secretary wrote in a letter to the MAC.

High levels of international recruitment reflected weaknesses and persistent skills shortages in the UK labour market, and “the system as it exists is not operating in the national interest”, Cooper added.

Cooper asked the MAC to report within nine months on how the immigration system “could be used more effectively” to spur employers to focus on recruitment from the domestic workforce. She noted that this could include changes to salary thresholds that are lower for some key roles seeing shortages at present.

Cooper’s focus on recruitment in two relatively well-paid, highly skilled areas is a departure from the previous Conservative government’s post-Brexit approach to immigration policy, which stopped employers sponsoring visas for low-skilled work but put few limits on high earners.

Last year, the Tories announced sharp increases in salary thresholds for skilled workers, who must now generally earn at least the median for their occupation, in a bid to slash immigration from a recent record of 745,000.

Their main clampdown was on the care sector, however, where overseas hiring had surged, but a ban on migrant workers bringing family members has led to a sharp drop in the number of new arrivals.

Labour has pledged to cut immigration further — including when it comes through work-related routes — and wants to forge closer links between the MAC and its newly created Skills England body to create a pipeline of domestic talent to fill jobs where skills have perennially been in short supply.

Hiring in the tech sector accounts for about one in six of all skilled worker visas, with programmer and IT business analysts in particularly high demand, according to Home Office figures.

Engineers account for fewer visas, but manufacturers say there are key roles they find especially difficult to fill within the UK, and they have lobbied hard for visa rules to be relaxed for some lower-skilled technicians.

A total of 67,703 skilled worker visas were issued by the Home Office in the year to March 2024, down 2 per cent compared with the previous year.

Verity Davidge, director of policy at manufacturers’ group Make UK, said the MAC’s review would be “a great cause of concern” for a sector with 62,000 live vacancies and no quick way in the short term to train replacements for experienced workers who were retiring.

“We really need a new government to help open up the talent pool. The fear is we could see a tightening of restrictions,” she said.

ALSO READ-Starmer promises to protect communities  

Previous Story

UK envoy to Malaysia Terry to join Starmer’s office

Next Story

Sharp fall in international applicants at UK universities

Latest from -Top News

Palestine Seeks Record UK Compensation

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas cites international law, seeking compensation for land and perceived injustices during British rule….reports Asian Lite News Britain faces a £2 trillion reparations claim from the Palestinian Authority

Khalistan Network Under Fire in Canada

Indian agencies regularly share intelligence with their Canadian counterparts, including on groups like Babbar Khalsa International, but the current focus is firmly on SFJ….reports Asian Lite News The arrest of Inderjeet Singh

India, France Hold Nuclear Talks

The meeting, held on Monday, reviewed progress in bilateral civil nuclear cooperation and explored avenues to deepen the strategic partnership…reports Asian Lite News India and France convened the second meeting of their

Trump to Meet Pak PM at UNGA

The US President has already engaged with Pakistan’s military leadership, having hosted Army Chief Asim Munir for a lunch meeting in June….reports Asian Lite News The White House announced on Monday that

EU’s Kallas Calls India ‘Reliable’ Partner

The EU said its closer partnership with India is increasingly becoming vital in the wake of the shifting geopolitical realities…reports Asian Lite News European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas has reaffirmed that
Go toTop

Don't Miss

ROYAL ‘SPY’ SAGA  

Prince Andrew has said he “ceased all contact” with a

Full devolution to be delivered across the North

The government has announced funding to enable the West Midlands