UK: Skilled Workers Might be Exempt from Immigration Controls

October 20, 2016

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, has indicated this week that future immigration controls will be exempt for skilled workers seeking employment in the UK.

Mr. Hammond stated that he does not see why firms should be restricted on employing “high-level workers” and that he believed Brexit voters wanted restrictions on migrants coming in at entry level jobs, whereas those in highly skilled positions such as “computer programmers, brain surgeons and bankers” should not be restricted.

“I cannot conceive of any circumstances in which we would be using those migration controls to prevent banks, companies moving highly qualified, highly skilled people between different parts of their businesses,” he said.

Mr Hammond also sparked speculation over the topic of overseas students being used to reduce net migration, as he did not dismiss suggestions that he supported students being taken out of the target.

Undoubtedly, the Chancellor”s comments will now fuel more debate on whether the government will introduce a work visa scheme aimed at low- skilled migrants.

It was also revealed earlier this week that the government wanted to introduce a “targeted visa scheme”, however Mr Hammond has publically expressed his fear of revealing such schemes ahead of the negotiations with the European Union, adding “it would be far more helpful if we could conduct negotiations privately without leaks to newspapers.”

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