Ministers urged to 'reset' new immigration system
The UK government should amend its new, "fundamentally unfair" immigration system if the nation is to continue to attract the overseas talent the economy needs, according to a new report.
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Catherine McGuinness, policy chair at the City of London Corporation, said: “It is vital now more than ever that the UK remains an attractive location for international talent.“Introducing a new immigration system at a time of an unprecedented pandemic is a huge challenge, but it also presents a unique opportunity to hit the ‘reset’ button so that the process works better for employers, applicants and the Home Office.“This report sets out how the new points-based system – in parallel with developing domestic talent – could be adapted to support both the immediate recovery from Covid-19 and our long-term competitiveness. Cutting red tape, reducing cost and increasing flexibility will help to drive economic growth.”The report points out that pandemic has led numerous countries, including the UK, to innovate by radically reducing immigration bureaucracy, granting automatic extensions to visas and moving to online processing.It calls on the Home Office to consider making permanent some of the measures that it has taken during the Covid-19 outbreak crisis to speed up the visa process and reduce the administrative burden.Seema Farazi, UK financial services immigration leader at EY, said: “The UK immigration system has been ripe for innovation for some time, and over recent months we have witnessed incredibly fast progress in key areas. Covid-19 has inadvertently provided increased positive scrutiny around how we work, and has accelerated digital progress across business.“To really demonstrate innovation however, the future of work must be intrinsically linked to strong, purpose-driven immigration policy that aligns with business as it looks to nurture and upskill talent in the UK market."The UK financial services sector attracts some of the world’s top talent, and a truly innovative new immigration system will continue to facilitate and improve on this, especially as we enter a post-Brexit world.”
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