Minority ethnic migrants cut

The Government has announced plans to cut visa applications from non EU migrant workers by 270,000.

The policy will largely affect takeaway food shops and care support workers in care homes. The cut is the result of new restrictions that migrants can only apply for skilled jobs if the position requires qualifications at graduate or equivalent level.

The effect will be to leave many black and ethnic minority takeaways and nursing care homes short of staff. The expectation is that British workers will take up these positions

Damien Green Immigration Minister stated; “These changes to the shortage occupation list will ensure that only skilled workers are coming to the UK through Tier 2 of the Points-Based system.
 
“It will allow firms to bring in people with necessary skills without migrants becoming the first resort to fill a wide range of available jobs. This Government is also determined to get people back to work and provide business with the skills they need from the British workforce — reducing the need for migrants at the same time as we reduce their number.”
 
However, there are real and genuine concerns that whilst the new rules will be applied to Black and Asian migrant workers those from white Commonwealth countries such as Australia and New Zealand will be exempt from a policy that could be deemed discriminatory.
 
The Migrant Advisory Committee, the body that has recommended these policy changes announced the cuts today. Worryingly, MAC has been asked to look again at the “shortage occupation list” to see if further reductions in those post available to non-EU migrants.
 
British business have also expressed their reservations that this policy along with student visa restrictions will harm the UK economy and create further labour shortages. A recent survey among British businesses indicated that that 45% thought the cap would be bad for business while only 16% supported the measure.
 
Universities and the CBI have all spoken out against the damaging effects of these visa restrictions. The Bangladeshi Caterers Association along with other ethnic minority food associations have spoken out about the negative effect on their ability to hire authentic chefs from around the world. There is a real fear that businesses may have to close as a result.
 
Conversely the top restaurants in UK will not suffer as a result as the current proposals will not apply to Chefs with more than five years experience and earning more than £28,000 per year.
 
At a time when the economy faces enormous challenges such actions could have a deeply damaging effect on mainstream, black and ethnic minority businesses in the UK.

Lee Jasper