UK’s new proposals to protect Brit workers may hit skilled Indian migrants

LONDON - Under new proposals to protect British workers, Non-European Union citizens especially skilled Indian migrants, are likely to face more hurdles in getting work visas in the UK.

The UK government advisers have suggested cutting by a third the number of occupations, which qualify as ’skilled’ under immigration rules. If accepted by ministers, the number of visas issued to non-EU workers would drop by around 10,000, reports the Daily Mail.

Occupations that could go from the list include hair salon managers, estate agents, shop managers, beauty salon managers, laboratory technicians, florists, pipe fitters, steel erectors and welders.

However, midwives, chartered surveyors and management accountants would remain, along with dancers, entertainers and environmental protection officers.

In its report, the Migration Advisory Committee proposed cutting the number of jobs eligible for so-called Tier 2 visas from 192 to 121.

But campaigners for tougher migration controls called for ministers to go further to protect British jobs.

Sir Andrew Green, of the MigrationWatch think-tank said, “The definition of graduate has been set rather low in these recommendations.

“Given the extent of unemployment we now face, ministers should set the bar at university level. Doing so would reduce the list of jobs that qualified from 121 to 87 to ensure migrants are genuinely highly skilled,” said Green.

Committee chairman David Metcalf insisted the proposals would ‘ratchet up’ the required skill levels.

“Skilled foreign workers make a valuable contribution to the British economy but, in the context of limits on migration, it is essential that the immigration system is designed to select those migrants we need the most.

“We have recognised this by ensuring our recommendations will allow the most skilled to continue to come and work here,” he said.

It is part of Home Office efforts to slash net migration from more than 200,000 last years to ‘tens of thousands’ by 2015. A cap will be placed on all non-EU workers from April.

Immigration Minister Damian Green said, “This is a valuable contribution to ensuring the immigration system allows firms to bring in people with necessary skills without immigration becoming the first resort to fill a wide range of jobs.” (ANI)