11 May 2017

Migration Watch: EU Immigration, Post-Brexit – A Comprehensive Policy

Migration Watch recommended that, for some occupations that are below the skill level to qualify for a highly skilled work permit, such as plumbers or bricklayers, there may need to be a transitional period to give employers the time needed to train British replacements.

Migration Watch UK Proposals

13. Accordingly, we have already proposed the following immigration system to govern EU migration to the UK:

• The principles of the existing Tier 2 (General) system should be extended to highly skilled workers from the European Union. This would allow businesses to sponsor EU migrants offered a graduate level job (RQF Level 6) paying a minimum of £30,000 per annum (£20,800 for new entrants). We do not believe that there is a need for a cap but businesses should have to complete a Resident Labour Market Test before sponsoring a worker. Analysis of the Labour Force suggests that around 25-30,000 work permits would be needed per year, allowing for some expansion.
• The principles of the Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme), designed to allow for cultural exchange, should be extended to young people from EU member states. The scheme would allow those aged 18-30 to come to the UK for a period of two years, during which they would be allowed to work. The scheme would not be open to those with dependent children (as is currently the case for those entering on the Youth Mobility Scheme) and there would be no right to extend beyond two years, nor access to benefits. This has been referred to in some quarters as the ‘Barista Visa’.
• Consideration should also be given to the need for a Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme based on the New Zealand example.

A visa for lower skill levels where there is a shortage

14. We also recognise that in the immediate aftermath of the UK’s exit from the EU, likely in March 2019, there may be a need to allow for the entry of EU nationals to fill jobs that are not skilled to RQF Level 6 (and therefore would not qualify for a Tier 2 style work permit) and cannot be filled by a local worker or an EU migrant on a Youth Mobility Visa. These include workers with specialist skills in short supply which might include for example certain electricians, bricklayers and plumbers. This is in keeping with the government’s intention to have an implementation period following Britain’s exit.

15. We recommend that a new and temporary route be opened up to cover EU nationals. The principles of this proposed visa, an ‘EU Skills Shortage Visa’, would be as follows:

• The visa should be issued for a period of one year, and extendable for an additional year to a maximum of three years. This would encourage employers to begin training domestic workers to fill roles for which there is no available worker.
• The Migration Advisory Committee should decide which sectors/occupations are eligible.
• Employers would have to fulfil the Resident Labour Market Test by showing evidence of genuine attempts to recruit in the UK.
• A levy should be attached to the visa, paid by the employer, and similar to the Immigration Skills Charge currently paid by employers bringing a non-EU worker into the UK under Tier 2 (General). The levy should be paid in each year, and should increase incrementally every year. Its purpose would be to make it cheaper to train a domestic worker than to fill the vacancy with an EU national and would thus encourage employers to begin training.
• The route should be open only temporarily.
• Workers on this route should not be allowed to switch into another visa category and should not be able to settle.
• There should be no access to in-work benefits, tax credits or housing benefit.
• There may be a need for a cap but detailed analysis of the Labour Force would need to be undertaken so as to judge the level at which the cap should be set.

16. The Migration Advisory Committee are already responsible for determining where there are skills shortages in the labour market. Occupations that are below RQF Level 6 could be opened up in the first instance to EU nationals on the EU Skills Shortage Visa. If the shortage persisted they could then be placed on the Shortage Occupation List and therefore open to non-EU nationals under Tier 2 (General). This would prevent this temporary visa from overlapping from the outset with the existing system for non-EU workers. It should be noted, however, that by the time that the UK leaves the EU, businesses and other employers will have had over two and a half years to adjust to the prospect of the cessation of losing easy and unrestricted access to cheap labour from abroad.

Full proposal

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