Prestige Network urges UK government not to tighten migration limit ‘too much’

July 30, 2010 - PRLog -- Berkshire-based language services provider Prestige Network Ltd has warned against the effects of potentially tightening the rules on the employment of non UK/EEA nationals too much, as the UK coalition government’s new rules come into force.

New interim limits on the number of workers entering the UK from outside Europe was imposed earlier this month (July) in order to avoid large numbers of applications between now and April 2011, when new permanent limits on non-EU economic migration will be put in place.  The interim limits will ensure that the number of visas issued under Tier 1 (for highly skilled workers) and Tier 2 (for skilled workers) are below that issued in 2009.

Shawn Khorassani, Prestige Network’s Strategy and Business Development Director, said: “Whilst everybody recognises that there can not just be uncontrolled migration, it’s important for the government not to forget the value which workers from outside the UK can bring to our society and our economy.

“Different languages and backgrounds give society a cultural richness which needs to be celebrated. Imposing too strict a limit on visas for highly skilled and skilled workers could have a detrimental effect.

“Another important point is that UK businesses need to be able to operate in a global marketplace – and migrant workers’ experiences can enhance the offering of UK businesses. The interim limits will have an impact on businesses which employ non-UK/EEA nationals, as visa applications could be deferred from month to month if the cap limit has already been exceeded. This could place added pressure on businesses at a very delicate point in the UK’s recovery from the recession.”

There is currently a 12-week government consultation with businesses on how the final limit will be delivered and a separate consultation by the Migration Advisory Committee (the government’s independent adviser on migration issues) into what level the limit should be set at, taking into account social and economic impacts.

Shawn added: “Ultimately, social cohesion is what Britain today is striving for. Cultural differences can be turned into competitive advantage and we would urge the government to remember this when setting the new permanent limits to be introduced in April 2011.”

More details about Prestige Network are on http://www.prestigenetwork.com or 01635 866888.

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Prestige Network provides managed language services in ALL languages to public and commercial sector. Any time, anywhere, any language.