Thread: Thousands of foreign workers exploiting British jobs market

Thousands of foreign workers exploiting British jobs market

Foreign workers are taking 130 jobs a day which are not advertised to British workers, figures show.

By Tom Whitehead, Home Affairs Editor
Last Updated: 7:44PM GMT 22 Feb 2009



Figures last week showed the foreign workers' share of the jobs market has almost doubled under Labour, with 3.8 million now employed in Britain Photo: GETTY

The number of workers taking advantage of 'intra-company transfers' has increased by almost half in four years.

The system allows international companies to transfer their staff to the UK for supposedly limited periods of time.

But they do not have to advertise the post in the UK first and staff can stay for up to three years, plus a possible extension of two years after which they can apply for settlement.

Critics warned it meant companies had no incentive to hire and train British workers to fill the posts instead, deepening the row over the use of migrant labour.

The figures will further fuel the row over foreign labour as the recession deepens and comes ahead of more damaging immigration and population statistics to be published tomorrow.

The move also appears to contradict the recommendations of the Home Secretary, who said skilled jobs should not be given to immigrants before being advertised to British workers.

Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch, an independent group which monitors population flows, said: "This scheme is wide open to abuse and, in any case, is bound to reduce opportunities for British workers.

"It is absurd for the Government to describe this points based scheme as 'tough'."

Figures released to MPs showed 48,010 applications for intra-company transfers were approved in 2008, up 47 per cent on the 32,770 given the go ahead in 2004 and the equivalent of 131 arriving every day.

Overseas employees can be transferred to the UK provided they have worked for the sponsoring company for at least six months. They are also supposed to have knowledge specific to that company but there is no requirement for the job to be advertised first in Britain.

They can also work for up to 20 hours in supplementary employment provided it is in the same profession and do not need to demonstrate they speak English unless they want to stay longer than three years..

In 2006, a report by the trade union, Amicus, found that three quarters of work permits issued for IT occupations in 2005 were for intra company transfers.

Shadow work and pensions minister James Clappison, who unearthed the figures, said: "There are questions as to why there has been such a dramatic increase in the numbers in the last few years.

"It clearly calls for an explanation."

But Neil Carberry, head of employment policy for the CBI, said: "Those who enter the UK under these terms are usually highly skilled workers needed for very specific, short-term projects or secondments before they return home.

"They still have to meet strict immigration requirements. While there has been an increase, the UK is a globalised economy and 48,000 is a tiny part of a labour market of 30m."

A Government spokesman said: "Intra-company transfers are an important part of making the UK an attractive place in which to do business, and therefore keep industry and the economy moving.

"The rules around these transfers were developed following consultation with businesses, and workers must display the appropriate level of earnings and qualifications."

Figures last week showed the foreign workers' share of the jobs market has almost doubled under Labour, with 3.8 million now employed in Britain.

Workers not born in Britain account for one in seven jobs after more than 1.8 million foreigners were added to the labour force over the past decade.

The Daily Telegraph told last November how tens of thousands of immigrants are taking jobs in Britain every year without them being advertised here first.

The Home Secretary Jacqui Smith yesterday announced plans to review whether skilled foreign workers should be restricted solely to those occupations that have labour shortages.

The independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) will look to see if there is an economic case for such a move.

As disclosed by the Daily Telegraph on Saturday, Ms Smith also announced tighter restrictions on highly skilled migrants to cut the number of workers coming each year and new requirements for employers to advertise jobs in JobCentre Plus offices before bringing in labour from outside Europe.

The Home Secretary said: "A flexible immigration system, rather than an arbitrary cap, is better for British business and the British economy."

However, shadow immigration minister Damian Green said: "Jacqui Smith is just tinkering around the edges of the immigration system. If she wants to control the numbers entering the country legally then should introduce a limit as a Conservative Government would. If she wants to control illegal immigration better, she should introduce a border police force. For the moment, she is just floundering in reaction to public anger."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs ... arket.html

UK NEWS

INVASION OF £1-AN-HOUR MIGRANTS
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith plans to ‘raise bar’ for foreigners
Sunday February 22,2009
By Jason Groves

THE spectre of £1-an-hour foreign workers is coming to haunt recession-hit Britain.

That is the amount thousands of migrants queueing up to enter the country illegally are prepared to work for rather than having to return home.

Migrants living in camps at France’s Channel ports told the Sunday Express they were determined to get to Britain and would not be dissuaded, however low the wages.

The revelation comes as the European Commission launches a new Â*agency which could see thousands of asylum seekers from Africa transferred directly to the UK.

Brussels wants Britain to “share the burdenâ€

I have friends in Northern Ireland, England, Sweden, Belgium, France and more countries. Basically all over Europe. They all say things are really bad and getting worse.

Most of them say they want to move to the USA. I told them...We're in the same boat they are.

Originally Posted by StarwalkerFallenAngel

We're in the same boat they are.

Only we have even more!

Duplicate:

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-147288.html