微密圈

A proposed 鈥渋mmigration charge鈥� of 拢1,000 a year on employing skilled workers from outside the EU has been branded 鈥渘onsense鈥� and 鈥渂onkers鈥� by construction industry leaders.

The charge 鈥� recommended in a report by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published last week 鈥� has sparked fears among construction bosses that the government intends to further clamp down on skilled migrants, hitting a sector that is already suffering from chronic skills shortages.

Rider Levett Bucknall global chair Ann Bentley labelled the proposal 鈥渘onsense,鈥� adding: 鈥淚f you have a skills shortage, surely you want people to fill it鈥�. Meanwhile, Jack Pringle managing director of Perkins+Will鈥檚 London office, called it 鈥渂onkers鈥�.

The MAC鈥檚 report, commissioned by the Home Office, recommended an upfront charge of 拢1,000 per year for each skilled non-EU migrant - classed as 鈥渢ier 2鈥� migrants under the immigration system - employed by companies in the UK.

If you have a skills shortage surely you want people to fill it

Ann Bentley, Rider Levett Bucknall

It would in effect act as a skills levy, which could provide 拢250m a year for skills funding, and which the MAC said would 鈥渉ave a significant impact on employer behaviour鈥�. The Home Office has said it will consider the report鈥檚 findings and respond 鈥渋n due course鈥�.

The Civil Engineering Contractors Association has warned the introduction of such a charge for employers would 鈥減enalise companies in the construction industry鈥�.

However, both Bentley and Pringle said the proposed charge would be unlikely to stop them hiring from outside of the EU.

Arcadis鈥� head of recruitment Bill Maynard agreed, adding that the consultant鈥檚 UK business had to hire from overseas to service its contracts, commenting: 鈥淚t鈥檚 something we鈥檝e got to do.鈥�

The MAC has also proposed, as part of its recommendations, increasing the existing minimum salary tier 2 migrants must be paid from 拢20,800 to 拢30,000, and tightening rules which govern the transfer of foreign staff in companies鈥� overseas offices to their UK offices.

David Metcalf, chair of the MAC, said the report鈥檚 recommendations 鈥渟hould lead to a greater investment in UK employees and reduce the use of migrant labour.鈥�

He added that skilled migrant workers made important contributions to the UK economy, but that there was a need to balance it against the impact on existing UK residents.