Work Permits UK, the Home Office division responsible for FTVs, says its work permit arrangements are designed to help UK employers and clients fill specific short-term vacancies which they are unable to fill from the resident labour available.

UK companies can obtain permits for work undertaken away from their own premises, but only where the company is providing a service to a client under the provisions of a contract.

The Association of Technology Staffing Companies (ATSCo), called for the scheme to be opened up to its agency members, earlier this year.

Speaking in April, Ann Swain, Chairman of ATSCo, said: "We shall be pressing hard for the option which would allow agencies to apply for work permits only for specified occupations or sectors."

The consultation over the operation of the policy ran from 18 March to 14 June and asked key stakeholders, including Government Departments, unions and industry bodies, to choose from three possible outcomes. These were:

• retention of the existing policy;

• allowing agencies to apply for work permits only for specified occupations or sectors where shortages exist;

• allowing agencies to apply for work permits in any occupation.

According to Work Permits UK, some respondents favoured a change to the existing policy on the grounds that it would enable employers to meet their demand for skills.

However, the majority of respondents stated they favoured no change.

Among the concerns raised during the consultation was the point that a change of policy would increase the risk of displacement of resident workers and increase abuse of the work permit arrangements.

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Richard Powell, © Shout99.com 2002