Are UK Immigration Controls on Skilled Workers Too Strict?

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Kingdom’s immigration controls on highly skilled workers are too restrictive and limit the country’s productivity. Is the OECD right?

In particular, the OECD claim the quotas for company-sponsored visas, which were implemented by Theresa May, the Home Secretary, to assist Coalition’s target to reduce net migration, do not allow the economy to expand appropriately now that the country is recovering from the economic downturn.

 Commenting on the issue John Cridland, CBI Director-General:

“The target should be scrapped, and businesses should work with the government to provide better vocational education and in-work training, which will help to drive up living standards by increasing productivity”.

Currently only 20,700 visas can be given to non-EU workers in skilled jobs each year. Employers have never been shy to voice their discontent with this limit, but never more so than presently – when the economy is recovering well and said businesses want to attract the best people.

Also recently speaking on the matter, Vince Cable, Business Secretary stated:

“..foreign workers not only stimulate growth for British business by introducing new ideas and innovations, but bring their unique overseas networks and cultural knowledge to drive expansion for their company abroad”.

Contact us – London Lawyers for Non-EU Skilled Workers

Whether you are a non-EU skilled worker or a UK employer looking to employer looking to obtain a visa for such a worker, Immigration Barristers can help. For specialist legal advice on the right to work in the UK please get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.