Immigration Debate Ignores UK Businesses Requirements

Today, Ed Bussey has spoken out against the immigration policies and believes that the immigration debate ‘completely ignores the needs of the UK’s fast growing businesses’. He has said that the technology sector in particular is suffering, as they are not able to hire people due to their lack of skills. Bussey, founder of Technology company Quill, has said that his own company has a team of 20 and is currently running 17 vacancies as they continue to grow at a rate of over 100% year on year. 

Cap of 20,700 of Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship

Hundreds of fast growth companies like Quill, who want to bring talent to the UK from outside of the EU must apply for a specialist Tier 2 sponsor licence. Once the licence is obtained, they then must issue Certificates of Sponsorship to their non-EU employees. However as there is currently a cap of 20,700 Certificate of Sponsorship, companies are finding it difficult to employ trained individuals for their businesses. Interestingly in 2013 just 10,179 such visas were granted, well below the 20,700 cap.

Bussey, has criticized what people focus on when debating immigration:

“The immigration debate at the moment seems to be a totally one-dimensional debate about Romanians and Bulgarians coming in and taking all our jobs. It is very superficial and it obscures a critical issue that exists in the digital technology sector. The digital technology sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK right now, and if we want to maintain this growth then we need to be able to hire the world’s best talent. I speak to all of my peers regularly about this and the single biggest problem that we all face is not a shortage of capital, it is not a shortage of a market opportunity, it is a shortage of talent.”

Ed Bussey: Not Enough Talent Here in the Home Market

Bussey, has suggested simplifying the immigration process, in order to make it easier for UK businesses to  hire talented people from outside the EU:

“We have got to streamline the immigration process so that fast growth SMEs like ourselves can access the talent wherever it is. The process is currently geared up for large businesses which have got HR departments and teams of in-house lawyers.”

He went on to add:

“There is not enough talent here in the home market. That is a skills education issue which the coalition government is becoming much more aware of which is a really good thing and it is great to see all these initiatives around coding and so on, but that is a decade long solution and I need developers this afternoon. I haven’t got 10 years to wait. So in the short term we have got to become much smarter about our immigration policy. If we want to build the best British businesses then we need to be able to hire the world’s best talent.”

Successful UK Tier 2 Visa Applications

Our team of experienced and professionally qualified immigration solicitors and barristers will be able to guide you through the process of making a Tier 2 General migrant visa application step by step and limit the possibility of failure by complying with the strict letter of law.

We also undertake a great deal of appeal work before the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal and have a successful track record of successful results for our clients. We have the experience and the knowledge required to take your case forward successfully. If you have had a Tier 2 General visa refused, contact us to discuss your case so that we can provide you with a case assessment.

Contact us so that we can review your case and provide you with an assessment.

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