09-05-2024, 09:53 AM in response to #45478
But the report argues that, given the huge demand to come to the UK, we can afford to prioritise the kinds of migrants who make the greatest contribution, whether to the economy, research, or the public services. And we're simply not doing that at the moment.
At the moment, only 15% of visas are for skilled workers. And even within that, 68% came to occupations where the median salary was less than the median earnings of full-time workers - in other words, to low-paid work.
In the report, we highlight how we punched a series of holes in a system we were promised would bring the 'best and brightest', not least by turning many other visa routes into backdoor routes to low-paid employment.
Eg we were told the health & care visa would bring in 6,000 people a year. Last year, it was 146,000, plus 203,000 dependants. And there has been huge abuse – non-existent care homes applying, a surge in modern slavery cases, industrial-scale fraud at Nigerian testing centres...
^^^ 'We' should be having grown-up conversations about the above, IMO, and how to improve things. However, sadly, I think we're incapable.
At the moment, only 15% of visas are for skilled workers. And even within that, 68% came to occupations where the median salary was less than the median earnings of full-time workers - in other words, to low-paid work.
In the report, we highlight how we punched a series of holes in a system we were promised would bring the 'best and brightest', not least by turning many other visa routes into backdoor routes to low-paid employment.
Eg we were told the health & care visa would bring in 6,000 people a year. Last year, it was 146,000, plus 203,000 dependants. And there has been huge abuse – non-existent care homes applying, a surge in modern slavery cases, industrial-scale fraud at Nigerian testing centres...
^^^ 'We' should be having grown-up conversations about the above, IMO, and how to improve things. However, sadly, I think we're incapable.