UK Immigration Cap causing Airbus Problems

The Government recently said that it would prioritise assistance for large companies such as Airbus UK which employs 10,000 people directly and 135,000 through its supply chain. The Vice President and Head of Political Affairs for Airbus, Katherine Bennett, said that the company uses ‘home grown talent’ wherever it could and spent £3.5 million training engineers last year.

The latest controversy is just another example of how the Immigration Cap is having a negative effect on British Industry. Last month the outgoing head of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Richard Lambert, launched a scathing attack on the Coalition Government in an article in Spectator Magazine. Mr Lambert said that policies such as the Immigration Cap (due for full implementation in April 2011) will “actually made it harder for companies or less likely for companies to employ people”. Mr Lambert’s voice adds to a long list of people voicing serious concerns over the implementation of the policy. So far this year individuals such as Boris Johnson (Mayor of London), and organisations such as the National Health Service have told of the impending skill shortages the Immigration Cap is likely to bring.

In an article with the Spectator, Mr Lambert said “The government is talking about growth in an enthusiastic and thoughtful way, but it has failed so far to articulate in big picture terms its vision of what that means. What I feel is that a number of their initiatives – I’m thinking of the immigration cap, I’m thinking about their move on the default retirement age, about the carbon reduction commitment – have actually made it harder for companies, or less likely for companies to employ people. And what we want, actually, is a sense of direction, a sense of ambition. It’s a common refrain.“

Recently the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said that the Coalition Governments plans to introduce the immigration cap in April will harm Britain’s economy and make the country uncompetitive. April will see not only the introduction of the Immigration Cap but also the scrapping of the highly popular Tier 1 General visa, which is designed for highly skilled non EEA professionals. Mr Johnson said that \”There is a risk that the necessity of putting up a public show of rhetoric will do possible damage to London\’s competitiveness. I think there is a case for flexibility and I think the government understands that.\” Many UK businesses have criticized the Immigration Cap proposals, with significant concerns registered over the implications the controversial policy will have on the economic recovery.

Commonwealth Contractors

Commonwealth Contractors is a collection of highly skilled professionals from the Commonwealth and beyond. We partner with OISC Registered Immigration Partners capable of professionally representing a Tier 1 Visa Application / Extension and Tier 2 Licensed Consultancy & Associated Trust Partners who may be prepared, where required, to sponsor a doctor on a Tier 2 Visa (formerly UK Work Permit). Commonwealth Contractors also provides updates on UK Immigration News.

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