The Labour Government has announced strict new criteria for foreign workers who are hoping to fill skilled vacancies in Britain. To qualify, skilled foreign nationals will have to earn a certain number of points before being allowed to work in Britain. These points are awarded only if a person can prove they will be doing skilled work, speak a good standard of English, and are earning more than £24,000, or have a decent qualification. Employers will need a licence from the UK Border Agency to offer jobs to skilled workers.
British-based companies will have to prove they cannot fill skilled posts with a resident worker and must show that the job vacancy has been advertised in the UK. Would-be migrants will need a job offer before they even apply for a visa, unless the job is on the shortage occupation list.
Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said:
"Our new points system means that British jobseekers get the first crack of the whip and that only the skilled migrants we actually need will be able to come.
"By moving points up or down, we can make sure the numbers we allow in to the UK are in line with the needs of business and the country as a whole.
"When we set the points pass mark, we will listen to independent advice - the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) on the needs of the economy, and the Migration Impacts Forum (MIF) on the effect of migration on society."
Message posted by Jonathan at 01:14 am, Tue 13th May 2008
Why don't we let them all in, let them find useful jobs contributing to the economy then change the rules and send them all home again - Oh, hang on, that would be what we're doing replacing the HSMP
with this. I used to work for the Home Office and they were planning this long before you announced it, so I think you're letting the HO tell you what to do rather than the other way round, shades of
Yes Minister and why it's wrong to blame you for this - you've just 'gone native' and your boss is only interested in spin. To think we thought Blair was bad. As long as we have vacancies we should
let anybody with a valid return ticket come and work here.
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Message posted by Steve at 08:57 pm, Sat 10th May 2008
The apogee of Government policy designed to please the Daily Mail. I just cannot get my head round how a progressive Government can introduce an immigration policy that says to the Third World
"Thanks for training up nurses, engineers and IT specialists. We'll take them off your hands for you - but you can keep your poor folk to yourselves" Yes, they are likely to send some money back home
- but surely to goodness a Labour Government can see that you don't just needs bank transfers to help build civil society in developing countries. So: either have no immigration or have very low
barriers. Either way we play fair with the Third World. I appreciate this is a minority position, but surely Globalisation means more than the breaking down of borders for capital flows, it also
means labour flows too - otherwise we're kidding ourselves and all we're doing is exporting increasing labour inequality to the world's poorest people. Or is that OK and we are now setting aside the
international dimension of Socialism?
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Message posted by Benn at 08:39 pm, Mon 12th May 2008
Britain is only a small place, it is mathmatically impossible for it to embrace everyone, By allowing the already skilled from 3rd world countries to come here, we can ensure that Britain grows. And
therefore is able to use this renumeration in order to support the 3rd world nations? Since if the skilled workers stay where they are money that is avaiable will be of little use?
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Message posted by Fiona at 08:28 am, Mon 12th May 2008
I agree with what Steve says. I feel uncomfortable with the concept of discriminating against poor foreign workers, whilst letting their richer, more privileged, more educated citizens in. The key is
to legislate to prevent employers using foreign workers to undercut wages.
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Message posted by Stewart at 09:23 am, Fri 9th May 2008
Far too little; far too late. Just go.
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Message posted by 2Little2Late at 01:59 pm, Mon 12th May 2008
Quite frankly you could cut income tax to 1p in th £ now - it doesn't matter. You're finished. Gone. You are an ex-party. Two years more to suffer under your incompetence then an election night party
to remember. Adios losers.
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Message posted by Benn at 08:42 pm, Mon 12th May 2008
Very constructive? Let me guess your a Tory? Since you had no policy to embrace us with to solve the problem? I can't wait for the fight!!!
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Message posted by Marc at 09:45 pm, Thu 8th May 2008
This doesn't and NEVER will go far enough - you say you are 'listening' - on immigration, this is a poor excuse for showing you're doing something rather han real concern. You should be stopping
eastern European immigration (Yes, you call it freedom of movement,within the EU but it's more than that). Get a grip, start doing something other than watered down beer, and GET RID OF GORDON BROWN
IF YOU WANT TO RETAIN POWER!
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Message posted by Selma at 11:27 am, Wed 14th May 2008
Marc I just can't agree with you. Gordon Brown is a good man who has fundametally changed Britain for the better over the last 11 years. All of this trouble at the moment centres around the fact that
he's not the showman that Tony Blair was. So what? It's time the media grew up and realised that we want someone with real intelligence running this country, not someone who knows how to play to the
cameras like David Cameron.
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Message posted by Robert at 11:15 pm, Thu 8th May 2008
I agree with Marc, in a country of over 60 million I can't see need for immigration. If we are unable to educate the work force of the UK to supply industry with the skilled people they require, then
its time to call it a day. Also this points system as I understand it only applies to non EU countries, which means that low or non skilled workers from the EU will still have the right of entry,
which will supply some industries with cheap labour. I find that quite ironic coming from a political party formed a hundred years ago to end poverty in this country and is actually encouraging it.
Cheap labour = low pay = low pension = poverty in old, well done labour! But let’s not forget, it does mean more low pay workers they can TAX.
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Message posted by Benn at 08:50 pm, Mon 12th May 2008
We are educating as many that want to be educated? i am afraid though there is a culture of benefit bludgers who will always avoid work and cause this problem? Its welfare that needs looking at not
immigration? Because if they made them work then there would be less work for foreigners and therefore a reduction in immigration?
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Message posted by Jonathan at 01:07 am, Tue 13th May 2008
there's a problem with making people work - would you want a service you need/want provided by someone made to do it? You're in a food shop - how do you know the food is well prepared if they 'have'
to be there, how do you know your brakes will work if the mechanic has to work, etc. In anycase, I'd prefer to be served by volunteers rather than pressed men.
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