For a FREE e-brochure
call 0800 083 0261
call 0800 083 0261
18:53 17th September 2009
Changes to Home Office laws on immigration could make an IT skills gap more likely, it has been reported.
From 2010, all posts, including IT jobs, must be advertised within the UK for at least four weeks before companies can look abroad. The minimum salary for skilled workers will also rise from £17,000 to £20,000.
According to industry news site Computing.co.uk, the changes will affect the computing sector more than most as about one-third of all so-called Tier 2 applications to the UK are for IT professionals.
Carrie Hartnell, head of industry strategy at IT trade association Intellect, warned the news source of a potential problem: "An increase in fees will drive smaller firms to seek other, possibly illegal routes for overseas workers, and enforcement efforts have not been stepped up to compensate for this."
Responding to the issues raised, the Home Office is now working with Intellect to try and put the new rules in place without causing delays for firms keen to work on new projects.
IT industry 'becoming less competitive'
In a global league table ranking countries on their IT industry's level of competitiveness, the UK has fallen from third to sixth place. However, the annual study by the Economist Intelligence Unit...
