This includes
a fast-track work permit route for employers in recognised shortage sectors, such as IT-
a pilot project involving multi-national employers such as Merrill Lynch and Intel where the companies will be able to self-certify employee transfers -
'season tickets' work permits for people who need to work for short periods on a regular basis -
'switching' schemes whereby students can go on to obtain a work permit without having to leave the country -
a rolling programme of sector analysis to identify quickly any sectors with skills shortages, and the establishment of a user panel -
a revision of the skills criteria for permits for business and commercial workers, less skilled workers and entertainers -
a pilot scheme which will allow individuals of outstanding ability to apply on their own behalf for entry clearance to seek work in the UK -
an increase in the maximum permit period from four to five years.
The press release states that There is fierce international
competition for these people. Employment Secretary David Blunkett said:
We must equip our own workforce with the skills needed, but we must also unblock bottlenecks and meet skills shortages. We need to stamp out unnecessary bureaucracy. To maintain a successful, buoyant economy we need to ensure that employers can quickly fill key posts where shortages exist.
Contractors who are facing the problems of IR 35 will be amazed at this demonstration of ‘joined up’ (or lack of) Government. As IR 35 forces Contractors to downshift and work less hours or to move overseas, another Government measure is topping up the shortfall with overseas workers.
It is also further proof of how New Labour is influenced by Big business. It was the Times that revealed IR 35 had been lobbied for by big business and mentioned EDS, the large US owned multi national. Shout99 can reveal that they are also involved in this latest measure. EDS chair the Technology, Communications and Electronics Skills Strategy Group. (A Task force reporting to the DFEE) which has recommended that the IT sector should be added to the skill shortage register to allow fast track visas.
Other members include Spring Group, Microsoft, IBM, BT, Motorola, EDS (again) and Lloyds TSB. The only association from the IT sector was the British Computer Society, (How many members of the BCS were consulted on this measure?).
The report from this group into the skill shortages states that:
A survey of IT professionals found that they believe training is best provided by short
specialist courses, followed by long periods working alongside experts (ie apprenticeships or mentoring). 49% said that, money aside, training and development would persuade them to stay with an employer.
Exactly why IT professionals from Asia and Eastern Europe will look forward to being trained onsite in the UK and return back to their Country to set up in competition.
The report draws attention to the following;
We found it worrying that sizeable proportions of new entrants may not receive sufficient in-company training, and that the level of training for some employees is below the average for the broad occupational categories to which they belong. For example, only 30% of software engineers in IT services had received training recently, compared to 45% of all those in professional occupations.
Based on this lamentable record, one must question the reasoning of the Government, to let big business off the hook by allowing them to ship workers in from overseas, rather than train up from within the UK.
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