The number of skilled workers allowed into the UK from outside the EU is to be cut, Home Secretary Theresa May has said.
Numbers will go down to 24,100 between now and April 2011, 5% less than last year.
Ministers says the temporary measure will cut the flow of immigrants while they hold a consultation on the right level for a permanent cap.
“As predicted a cosmetic change, anybody who shields behind this claiming it will make a fundamental difference to recruitment doesn’t know their way round alternative markets” said Chris Slay of Skills Provision. Shadow Home Secretary Alan Johnson said it was a pointless “gimmick”.
The cap will only apply to highly skilled migrants and skilled workers in certain categories of job. It does not apply to skilled workers from EU countries, who are free to take jobs in the UK and make up a third of all foreign born workers in the country.
Author: Peter Arkwright
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