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[...] Although the idea faces practical and political hurdles, the LCCI hopes that the UK’s reliance on London’s economic success, which is heavily dependent on immigrant labour, will persuade the government to consider it.
“Our city would collapse without migrants. We need an immigration policy that is slightly different for London,” said Sean McKee, policy director. “The biggest issue by far [for businesses] is skills and staff. It is vital to London’s future that a degree of flexibility is applied if the government amends the UK immigration system.”
Recipients would have London-specific national insurance numbers that would prevent them from working elsewhere. If they left or lost their job, they would have 60 days to find another one before being deported. Businesses would have to prove they could not recruit locally unless the post was on a London-specific list of skills shortages.
This year the City of London Corporation released proposals for a scheme modelled on regional visa policies in Australia and Canada, which have a strategy for bringing migrants to areas where low population growth and skills gaps are restricting local industry.
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has said he will consider the proposals before deciding how to proceed. A spokesman said he “has been pressing the government to develop a solution to the current failings in the visa system which create too many barriers to London’s businesses. This report is a welcome contribution to that ongoing discussion and the mayor will consider its recommendations.” [...]
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