02-06-2024, 09:07 PM (This post was last modified: 02-06-2024, 09:08 PM by Fola Onibuje.) in response to #50515
We have managed to achieve a worst of both worlds scenraio where immigration is at levels unfathomable only five years ago adding to pressures stated above, whilst simultaneously having record job vacancies and gaping holes in the labour market. How you can import 600k people every year and still have social care and hospitality crying out for more, it is maddening.
This would suggest that our method of immigration is not working - advocates of mass immigration argue it solves labour shortages but it's not doing.
One problem is too many are arriving through student visas, spousal/family visas where the numbers are being inflated but there's no requirement or expectation to help solve labour shortages.
Another structural problem in my opinion, is that visa eligibility when recruiting overseas workers is primarily determined on salary. The floor has recently increased substantially. But it isn't the £35k+ per year jobs that we struggle to fill, we've got more than enough middle managers and skilled workers.
Somehow the immigration system needs to reflect the needs of the labour market; i.e. as an oversimplified example if we are short of 100k carers but have no shortage of teachers, you would grant access to those with an offer of employment in social care but not education.
It's a crude example but somehow immigration needs to reflect labour or we're getting the disadvantages of an increasing population but not the boons.
This would suggest that our method of immigration is not working - advocates of mass immigration argue it solves labour shortages but it's not doing.
One problem is too many are arriving through student visas, spousal/family visas where the numbers are being inflated but there's no requirement or expectation to help solve labour shortages.
Another structural problem in my opinion, is that visa eligibility when recruiting overseas workers is primarily determined on salary. The floor has recently increased substantially. But it isn't the £35k+ per year jobs that we struggle to fill, we've got more than enough middle managers and skilled workers.
Somehow the immigration system needs to reflect the needs of the labour market; i.e. as an oversimplified example if we are short of 100k carers but have no shortage of teachers, you would grant access to those with an offer of employment in social care but not education.
It's a crude example but somehow immigration needs to reflect labour or we're getting the disadvantages of an increasing population but not the boons.