Sunday, March 19, 2017
Immigration Matters: UK Visa £1,000 Immigration Skills charge on Tier 2...
Immigration Matters: UK Visa £1,000 Immigration Skills charge on Tier 2...: The new Immigration Skills Charge for large numbers of Tier 2 holders will come into force from 6 April 2017. The Home Office levy will b...
UK Visa £1,000 Immigration Skills charge on Tier 2 working Visas starts 6 April 2017
The new Immigration Skills Charge for large numbers of Tier
2 holders will come into force from 6 April 2017. The Home Office levy
will be imposed on UK employers holding Tier 2 sponsorship licences employing
non-EEA migrants on Tier 2 working visas.
UK Home Office
The Guardian recently reported that the skills levy on
foreign workers could be extended to EU and EEA migrants post Brexit in order
to reduce immigration and encourage employers to hire British workers first.
Britain’s policy on European migrants resident in the UK has yet to be decided
and will probably form part of ongoing negotiations once article 50 has been
triggered later this month.
Net migration to the UK fell by 49,000 last year following the
Brexit vote, but more likely due to earlier curbs on immigration. Meanwhile,
thousands of EU citizens are applying for UK passports and Indefinite Leave to
Remain (permanent residence) in the panic to beat possible Home Office
restrictions.
The UK Immigration Minister, Robert Goodwill, has stated
that that British businesses were over reliant on migrant labour and said that
an apprenticeship levy would be put in place later in 2017, in order to help
meet the government’s pledge to train more than three million apprentices prior
to the 2020 general election.
Mr Goodwill said: “In April this year we are also bringing
in the immigration skills charge for non-EEA skilled workers. If you want to
recruit an Indian computer programmer on a four-year contract on top of the
existing visa charges and the resident labour market test there will be a fee
of £1,000 per year.
“So for a four-year contract that employer will need to pay
a £4,000 immigration skills charge. That is something that currently applies to
non-EU and it has been suggested to us that could be applied to EU.”.
In excess of 16,000 EU citizens were granted UK citizenship last year, indicating that despite Brexit and all the 'doom and gloom' predictions many Europeans want to remain living in Britain.
The UK is an attractive place to work, start a business or buy property, with no restrictions on foreign buyers and a vibrant mortgage market with record low interest rates. Last week, a leading mortgage lender announced that it was introducing a fixed rate mortgage with an interest rate of .99%.
If you would like to learn more about investing in UK property, I have a limited number of complimentary tickets to a LIVE EVENT - Beginners Property Course (held in the UK), which will give you the basic knowledge and techniques to get started as a property investor. If you are interest, email me your full name and telephone number to euukimmigration@gmail.com.
See also:
Fines issued to landlords under right-to-rent offences
Turn Your Passion into Profit
If you would like to learn more about investing in UK property, I have a limited number of complimentary tickets to a LIVE EVENT - Beginners Property Course (held in the UK), which will give you the basic knowledge and techniques to get started as a property investor. If you are interest, email me your full name and telephone number to euukimmigration@gmail.com.
See also:
Fines issued to landlords under right-to-rent offences
Turn Your Passion into Profit
Monday, March 13, 2017
Immigration Matters: Pop star Lily Allen in NHS immigration spat on Twi...
Immigration Matters: Pop star Lily Allen in NHS immigration spat on Twi...: Singer songwriter Lily Allen has once again got involved in a public dispute on social media, this time over an argument about immigration...
Pop star Lily Allen in NHS immigration spat on Twitter after her two-year-old daughter had to wait to see a doctor at A&E
Singer songwriter Lily Allen has once again got involved in
a public dispute on social media, this time over an argument about immigration
after criticising NHS cuts after her daughter's wait at accident and emergency
(A&E), the Daily Mail reports.
Lily Allen
Lily, 31-year-old said she took her two-year-old daughter,
Marnie, to hospital after she impaled her neck on railings, but was put out
when they had to wait (like the rest of
us) despite having a serious injury.
Then Allen, who launched her career on social media
sites, such as My Space (remember them?). got into an online row with a Twitter
user who blamed the NHS wait on immigration.
A Twitter user, - Twitter handle is @Trumpskins2016 - tweeted
that Ms Allen did not care about 'preserving' English heritage because she is
rich.
Lily, who has 5.9
million followers on Twitter handle +Lily Allen, picked up the tweet and hit back: 'What do you
mean when you speak of heritage, and also how you have come to the conclusion
that money gets in the way of caring about it? '
The user, who must have been ecstatic to receive a reply, escalated
the argument: 'You're rich so the impact of mass immigration doesn't effect
you. People have been saying this to you over and over again.'
Lily defended her stance: 'I doubt it's fault of immigrants that you
can't get someone to procreate with you. If that is the type of heritage you
are referring to.'
The user came back with: 'like to see how Lily would react
to tons of immigrants being moved to the area she lives.'
Lily revealed that she lived in London near 'lots of
immigrants' and had 'no problems'.
On her Twitter feed Lily says she lives near Greeks, Japanese and Scandinavians.
Specifically pointing to her daughter's hospital wait, the
user then said: 'The UK is overcrowded. Liberals like yourself have allowed it
to happen.'
Lily wrote: 'My daughter wasn't seen because the hospital,
like most in the UK, are understaffed because of cuts, not because of
immigrants.'
Lily said that she has seen the decline in the NHS and added
that the number of midwife visits has gone down.
The mother-of-three added: 'I've seen its decline. When I
had my first baby, the midwife came every day.
'Only three years into a Tory government we had one visit.
It was pretty bad. It's horrendous.'
Lily has previously criticised the NHS four years ago after
she claimed she had received lack of attention when she gave birth to Marnie,
who was two at the time of the 2015 incident.
Writing on Twitter: 'After speaking to the Brent midwifery
team at 7 this morning, I was told to stay in all day and someone would be over
to weigh my baby and do a jaundice assessment.
'Waited all day, and nothing, not even a phone call.'
She told followers: 'I don't mean to moan and I know how
over stretched the health service is. But I can't help but think about how
mothers with less support, both financially and emotionally are meant to
cope.'
The NHS, which is barely out of the news, would probably not
be able to function without migrant workers in every department. Nurses are
still being recruited from the EU and countries like India and the Philippines.
In other news, the EU Brexit bill is proceeding after a stumbling block in the House of Lords and Prime Minister Theresa May could trigger the 'Article 50' official leaving process this month.
Three million EU nationals living in the UK are still unsure of their fate, prompting thousands of European migrants to apply for indefinite leave to remain and UK citizenship.
Most I speak to have no intention of leaving and plan to settle in the UK. Unlike many EU countries, the UK has jobs, unrestricted access to healthcare and welfare and jobs.
Saturday, March 04, 2017
Immigration Matters: UK population will hit 70 million bringing fears a...
Immigration Matters: UK population will hit 70 million bringing fears a...: The population of the UK will soar to over 70 million and become the largest in Europe by 2050, bigger than France and Germany, due to an ...
UK population will hit 70 million bringing fears and opportunities
The population of the UK will soar to over 70 million
and become the largest in Europe by 2050, bigger than France and Germany, due
to an ageing population and immigration, according to the Office
for National Statistics (ONS).
ONS figures show there has been more births than deaths in
every year since 1976, which combined with a net migration increase over around
250,00 per annum has swelled the UK population to 65 million. By 2045 the
population will reach 76 million experts predict.
Over 65's will hit 25% in 30 years
The age time bomb is an issue all over Europe and a quarter
of the UK population will be over 65 within the next 30 years. The current generation does not appear to be as prudent as their predecessors when it comes to saving, with millions holding less than £100 in the bank and going through life in perpetual debt.
Increasing life expectancy is another factor in the
population increase, as people live longer, due to improved healthcare and
lifestyles, and will be drawing their state pension for many more years than
the schemes were expected to run. In future, Girls born in 2015 are expected to
live 82.8 years from birth, and boys to 79.1 years.
The proportion of people aged over 65 has
increased from 14.1 per cent in 1975 to 17.8 per cent in 2015 - which means
there is a lower proportion working people paying taxes to support pensions and
healthcare for the elderly - and the is projected to reach a quarter of the
population by 2045.
There will be an extra 10 million over 65s in 2045 than
there were in 1975 - accounting for over half of the population growth seen in
that period.
The UK will have a larger population than any
European Union country by 2050, at 77 million, according to Eurostat. The
UK is the third biggest country, after Germany and France, which has falling
birth rates and an ageing population.
The proportion of working citizens is projected to fall as a
result of the growth of the ageing population, which has huge implications for
pensions, housing and employment.
Immigration to the UK and overall net
migration has helped boost the population by 250,000 per year over the last
two decades, which did fall slightly last year. In 2015, 631,500 people
immigrated to the UK, while emigration was 299,200.
Opportunities and fears
A growing population is good for the economy as it can mean
that there are more people available to participate in the workforce and
provide jobs in service sectors such as healthcare and leisure.
However, an ageing population will lead to strains
on the NHS and other public services. Estimates show there were
308 of a pensionable age for every 1,000 people of a working age in 2016 -
and this figure is projected to increase to 365 in 2037.
When releasing the data, the ONS said: "While living
longer is a cause for celebration, an ageing population may result in fewer
people of working age to support those of pension age.
"This increase means that there will be fewer people of
working age to support a larger population over State Pension age. While a
larger population increases the size and productive capacity of the workforce,
it also increases pressure and demand for services such as education,
healthcare and housing."
In the government White Paper, Housing Minister Gavin Barwell admits that the housing system is broken and wants the country to build hundreds of thousands of new homes every year to cope with demand and the current shortage. In order to build, employers will need skilled labour, which means workers from the EU will still be in demand. In turn, this initially creates more housing demand.
In the government White Paper, Housing Minister Gavin Barwell admits that the housing system is broken and wants the country to build hundreds of thousands of new homes every year to cope with demand and the current shortage. In order to build, employers will need skilled labour, which means workers from the EU will still be in demand. In turn, this initially creates more housing demand.
More houses will be needed
Last year, 16,000 EU citizens were granted UK citizenship,
indicating that despite Brexit many Europeans want to remain living in Britain.
The reason people migrate here is because the UK is an attractive place to work, start a business or buy property –
no restrictions on foreign buyers - a vibrant mortgage market with record low
interest rates.
See also:
Friday, March 03, 2017
Immigration Matters: Uber loses High Court case to block English langua...
Immigration Matters: Uber loses High Court case to block English langua...: Uber has been defeated in the High Court in a legal bid to prevent their drivers being required to take an English language test in order ...
Uber loses High Court case to block English language tests for migrant drivers
Uber has been defeated in the High Court in a legal bid to
prevent their drivers being required to take an English language test in order
to work in London.
Driverless cars are already here
The multi-billion dollar tech giant, which does not own any
taxis despite controlling millions of journeys, took its case to court after
Transport for London (TfL) said that drivers should have to sit a test in order
to demonstrate their ability to communicate in English.
Uber’s lawyers argued that the TFL standard of reading and
writing required by the test was excessive claiming it was "unfair and
disproportionate" and will appeal against the court's decision.
Rejecting Uber's claim, Judge John Mitting said:
"TfL are entitled to require private hire drivers to
demonstrate English language compliance".
However, Tom de la Mare QC, for Uber and the drivers, told
the judge that the language requirement would result in 70,000 applicants,
including mini cab drivers, failing to obtain a licence over three years.
He added that the proposals would have a disproportionate
impact on drivers from countries where English was not generally spoken and
give rise to "indirect discrimination on grounds of race and
nationality".
TfL maintain that the requirements were vital to ensure
passenger safety and to raise standards.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, defended Tfl:
"Drivers being able to speak English and understand
information from passengers and licensing requirements is a vital part of
ensuring passengers get the high standard of service they need and deserve”.
Drivers should be more concerned about Uber's bigger plans to eventually dispense with the need for drivers altogether. The company is already tested self-driving cars with Volvo driverless cars on in a Pittsburgh based trial.
See also:
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Immigration Matters: Immigration to UK falling post-Brexit
Immigration Matters: Immigration to UK falling post-Brexit: UK net migration dropped by 49,000 to 273,000 in the year to September 2016. Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures reveal. ...
Immigration to UK falling post-Brexit
This is the first time in two years that the net migration
figure - the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving the
UK - had dropped below 300,000.
Overall immigration to the UK is estimated to be 596,000 – made
up of 268,000 EU citizens, 257,000 non-EU citizens and 71,000 British citizens.
Whilst EU immigration from several countries fell, record
numbers of Romanians and Bulgarians - 74,000 – came to live in the UK.
Around 323,000 people may have left the UK, slightly up on
the previous year by 26,000.
The levers are estimated include 128,000 British citizens,
103,000 EU citizens and 93,000 non-EU citizens, although exact figures for legal and illegal immigration in the UK are almost impossible to calculate.
In summary, the overall number of people arriving to work in
the UK is about the same as previous years. The UK has jobs and low skilled work, while other
EU countries, such as Romania, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece all
have high levels of unemployment, especially for the youth.
Over 16,000 EU citizens were granted UK citizenship last year, indicating that despite Brexit many Europeans want to remain living in Britain.
Over 16,000 EU citizens were granted UK citizenship last year, indicating that despite Brexit many Europeans want to remain living in Britain.
Meanwhile, property prices in London and the south east of England have reached levels beyond the means of young first time buyers, many of whom have become long-term renters or are living at home with their parents well into their 30's. Home ownership levels are falling.
The UK is still an attractive place to work, start a business and buy property – no restrictions on foreign buyers - a vibrant mortgage market with record low interest rates.
Learn how you can get involved in the buy-to-let boom with this free CD training programme:
Learn how you can get involved in the buy-to-let boom with this free CD training programme:
See also:
Immigration Matters: UK net migration drops but immigration from Romani...
Immigration Matters: UK net migration drops but immigration from Romani...: UK net migration fell by 49,000 to 273,000 in the year to September 2016. Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures reveal. This is...
UK net migration drops but immigration from Romania and Bulgaria soars to record levels
This is the first time in two years that the net migration
figure - the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving the
UK - had dropped below 300,000.
Overall immigration to the UK is estimated to be 596,000 – made
up of 268,000 EU citizens, 257,000 non-EU citizens and 71,000 British citizens.
Whilst EU immigration from several countries fell, record
numbers of Romanians and Bulgarians - 74,000 – came to live in the UK.
Around 323,000 people may have left the UK, slightly up on
the previous year by 26,000.
The levers are estimated include 128,000 British citizens,
103,000 EU citizens and 93,000 non-EU citizens, although exact figures for legal and illegal immigration in the UK are almost impossible to calculate.
Anglicising the figures, BBC Home Affairs Correspondent,
Dominic Casciani, said:
“Net migration is down. But while the net decrease looks
substantial, nobody can say for sure what's triggered the change because these
quarterly figures could have been influenced by a string of short-term factors.
“For a start, there appears to have been a rise in
emigration - and when that goes up, net migration can come down.
“Secondly, some of the change could be down to seasonal
fluctuations in student numbers.
“Thirdly, although there were significant departures by
people from some parts of Eastern Europe, the number coming from poorer Romania
and Bulgaria went up.”
In summary, the overall number of people arriving to work in
the UK is about the same as previous years. The UK still has jobs, while other
EU countries, such as Romania, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece all
have high levels of unemployment.
Over 16,000 EU citizens were granted UK citizenship last year, indicating that despite Brexit many Europeans want to remain living in Britain.
Over 16,000 EU citizens were granted UK citizenship last year, indicating that despite Brexit many Europeans want to remain living in Britain.
The UK is an attractive place to work, start a business or buyproperty – no restrictions on foreign buyers - a vibrant mortgage
market with record low interest rates.
See also:
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Immigration Matters: Minimum £18,000 income for foreign spouses lawful ...
Immigration Matters: Minimum £18,000 income for foreign spouses lawful ...: The Supreme Court has ruled that controversial minimum income rules for non-EEA spouses set by the Home Office, which campaigners say have...
Minimum £18,600 income for foreign spouses lawful "in principle", Supreme Court rules
The Supreme Court has ruled that controversial minimum income
rules for non-EEA spouses set by the Home Office, which campaigners say have
split thousands of families apart preventing British citizens bringing their
foreign spouse to the UK, are lawful "in principle".
Children's welfare, Judges said, must be protected in
immigration decisions. In their judgement, the Judges conceded that the UK government's
rules had the "legitimate" aim of ensuring "that the couple do
not have recourse to benefits and have sufficient resources to play a full part
in British life".
However, tossing a legal ‘spanner in the works’, they added
the rules fail because they do not treat "the best interests of children
as a primary consideration".
Prime Minister Mrs Theresa May
Since 2012, when Theresa May was Home Secretary, British citizens have been required to earn over
£18,600 ($23,140) before a husband or wife from outside the European Economic
Area (EEA) could be allowed to settle in the UK.
Seven Judges sitting at the highest court in the land rejected
an appeal by families who argued that the rules breached their human right to a
family life, stating that the minimum income requirement was "acceptable
in principle". But said that the rules failed to take "proper
account" of the duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children when
making decisions which affect them.
Judges want an amendment to the law, introduced to prevent
foreign souses becoming dependent on taxpayer benefits, allowing alternative
sources of funding, other than a salary or benefits, to be considered in a
claim.
The minimum income rises to £22,400 ($27,870) where couples
have a child who does not have British citizenship - and then by an additional
£2,400 ($2,986) for each subsequent child.
Previously, applicants had to demonstrate to the Home Office
that the incoming partner would not be a drain on public resources and that the
couple or family could adequately support themselves.
The Immigration Rule on income, as well as English tests, has
proved controversial throwing up many anomalies, such as a British citizen who
marries a non-EEA person while working abroad for a period of time who then cannot
take their spouse back to the UK because their work contract has ended and they
have no job in Britain, let alone six month pay slips.
The threshold does not apply to spouses from within the EEA
and some British citizens have taken advantage of earlier judgements, such as Surinder
Singh to bring in souses via the EEA without the need to show the minimum
income.
The UK is an attractive place to work, start a business or buy property – no restrictions on foreign buyers - a vibrant mortgage market with record low interest rates.
Learn how you can get involved in the buy-to-let boom with this free CD training programme:
Learn how you can get involved in the buy-to-let boom with this free CD training programme:
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Immigration Matters: Uber offering free English courses to migrant work...
Immigration Matters: Uber offering free English courses to migrant work...: Uber has said it will offer free courses for its drivers in response to a ruling by Transport for London (TfL), which has delayed its new ...
Uber offering free English courses to migrant worker drivers
Uber has said it will offer free courses for its drivers in
response to a ruling by Transport for London (TfL), which has delayed its new
English tests until September.
The Uber app will give drivers the option to cash their
income at any time, as opposed to at the end of the week, as well as offer
“earnings advice sessions” on improving revenue. The advice will be targeted at
drivers earning less than the hourly average.
Uber driverless vehicles are already here
The multi-billion dollar company - which does not operate
taxis or employ drivers - will also offer drivers free “skills” courses, so
they can learn a language or improve their financial planning. Uber has brought
in outside expertise from online investment firm Moneyfarm in a deal which will
make available discounted products like ISAs to pensions to its drivers.
The charm offensive follows an intense period of damaging public scrutiny of the company
and the treatment of drivers. Last October, Uber lost an important ruling at an employment
tribunal in London that its drivers should be employed as workers, as opposed
to self-employed contractors, and be entitled to workers’ rights including
holiday or sick pay. Uber will appeal the decision, which threatens the company’s
business model.
The government is not only concerned about workers rights,
but also the loss of tax and employer National Insurance contributions from
self employed workers (Uber, Hermes and Deliveroo) who legally pay less tax, which is estimated to cost the treasury
£2 billion a year.
Whilst companies like Uber provide UK job opportunities for
migrant workers, however, when you take into account the number of hours worked
and the cost of running a vehicle, dealing with accounts and tax, many people
are probably earning less than the minimum wage.
More worrying for Uber and other delivery drivers is the
rise of robot technology, which will see driverless vehicles and drone
deliveries not in a distant science fiction-based future, but within the next
few years. The U.S. tech giant is already rolling out plans to allow
users to hail self-driving cars, and put Volvo driverless cars on the road last year in a Pittsburgh based
trial.
New technology will wipe out millions of jobs in the next
few years. Not just driving jobs, but white collar and professional jobs too.
How we adapt to this new era will be crucial to all our futures.
In a recent survey, it was revealed that millions of people
in the UK have less than £100 in savings and are totally unprepared for
retirement. Millions will have to work until they drop, especially the
self-employed and ‘zero hour’ contract workers who have little or no pension
provision.
Home-based business revolution
Some are turning to second jobs in the form of home-based
businesses, e.g. making money online with using platforms to sell goods with Ebay or Amazon, while others are dipping their toes in the buy-to-let property
market. Both are viable options provided you know what you are doing and have
the right training.
I have attended a number of free courses and webinars with a
company called Progressive Property Group. Their founders, Rob Moore and Mark
Homer own over 700 properties. They are academics, but entrepreneurs who have ‘been
there and done it’, which is why I listen to their advice.
A common myth is that you have to have loads of money to
become a property investor, not true. I know many migrants who have come to the
UK with pennies in their pockets who are financially free through property.
In a special report: -
Mark Homer explains the strategies that have helped thousands
of people buy property with none of their own money.
You can obtain the report free, by clicking here...
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Immigration Matters: How many illegal migrants and visa overstayers liv...
Immigration Matters: How many illegal migrants and visa overstayers liv...: The short answer is that nobody knows, even the Home Office can only estimate the number of visa overstayers, illegal entrants or undocume...
How many illegal migrants and visa overstayers live in the UK?
The short answer is that nobody knows, even the Home Office
can only estimate the number of visa overstayers, illegal entrants or
undocumented migrants there are in the UK.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated migration
to the UK for just one year, ending June 2016, at over 650,000. Prior to
the Brexit vote, immigration from the EU was the highest on record, while immigration
from non-EU countries was similar to previous years, despite measures to curb
it.
In another report, it has emerged that the number of EU nurses registering to work in the UK has dropped by 90% since the Brexit vote last June.
How do we work out the number of illegal immigrants?
Illegal immigrants in the UK exist largely as an unregistered
collective, according to the New Statesman, because if the registered they
would risk being deported and banned from returning to the UK for many years.
The ONS said that “by its very nature it is impossible to
quantify accurately the number of people who are in the country illegally.” Population
Surveys or the official Census figures are based on information provided
voluntarily by householders.
The last official estimate was compiled in 2005 when the government
assessed methods used by other countries to estimate their level of illegal
immigration, and applied the finding to the UK. They predicted the number at
430,000, but the London School of Economics produced a report in
2007 estimating the number of ‘irregular’ migrants at 533,000.
The Home Office collect “Immigration
Enforcement Data”, such as number of enforcement raids based on tip-offs,
number of people refused visa entry and number of overstayers deported from the
UK.
In the second quarter of 2016 there were just 941
enforcement visit arrests. However, the Migration Observatory at the
University of Oxford said that 40,896 immigrants were deported in 2015,
which would include migrants refused visa extensions or overstaying students.
At 40,000 removals a year it would take almost 11 years to
remove all illegal immigrants based on the government’s own estimates and
assuming no increase in numbers.
The ippr estimated that it would take 20 years to remove 500,000 illegal migrants at a cost of £5 billion. It costs an average of £10,000 to remove someone from the UK, so those figures are not so far fetched.
Other organisations, such as Migration Watch, estimate much higher numbers of undocumented migrants and the number could be between 750,000 and 1,000,000 people living illegally in the UK. This has prompted calls for an amnesty, which even Boris Johnson supported when he was the London Mayor.
Other organisations, such as Migration Watch, estimate much higher numbers of undocumented migrants and the number could be between 750,000 and 1,000,000 people living illegally in the UK. This has prompted calls for an amnesty, which even Boris Johnson supported when he was the London Mayor.
The 2016 Immigration Act will make life harder for illegal as well
as legal migrants wishing to work in the UK on a working or student visa.
Private property owning landlords can be fined up to £3000
for letting to anyone who does not have the right to reside in the UK and can
face criminal charges and jail for knowingly renting to illegal immigrants.
The UK is still an attractive place to work, start a business and buy property – no restrictions on foreign buyers - a vibrant mortgage market with record low interest rates.
Learn how you can get involved in the buy-to-let boom with this free CD training programme:
Learn how you can get involved in the buy-to-let boom with this free CD training programme:
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Immigration Matters: EU nurses coming to UK drops by 90% since Brexit
Immigration Matters: EU nurses coming to UK drops by 90% since Brexit: The number of EU Nurses registering to work in Britain has fallen dramatically by 90% since the Brexit referendum according to new figures...
EU nurses coming to UK drops by 90% since Brexit
The number of EU Nurses registering to work in Britain has
fallen dramatically by 90% since the Brexit referendum according to new figures
by the UK nursing regulator and reports in The Telegraph and BBC.
Last July, just after the referendum where 52% of
British people voted to leave the European Union, 1,304 nurses joined the
nursing and midwifery register to work in the UK, official figures show. Last month the number
had plummeted to just 101 nurses.
Figures from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) also report
more EU nurses deciding to stop working in the UK at a time when every hospital
in the country reporting a shortage of nurses and many European countries, such
as Romania, Spain and Portugal have high unemployment and little opportunity for newly qualified nurses.
The NMC register shows that 318 decided to leave almost
double the number who left in June 2016
when the referendum took place.
European nurses, like their non-EU counterparts, are now
required to take a language test, which may partly account for the drop in registrations.
There is also a fall in of overseas nurses requesting an application pack to
register to work in the UK, with only 453 enquiries in December compared with
697 in July.
In January 2016, just under 3,700 EU nurses and midwives applied
for an NMC application pack, but following the introductions of English
language test the following month, the number fell to 861. EU nurses do not
need to carry out competence tests, as their qualifications are accepted by the
NMC.
The health sector and NHS depends on overseas workers and in
2015/16, 9,388 overseas nurses and midwives registered to come work in the UK.
NMC chief executive Jackie Smith, said: “This is the first
sign of a change following the EU referendum and it is our responsibility as
the regulator to share these figures with the public.”
She said it was too early to “definitively” link the trends
to Brexit.
Janet Davies, chief executive of the Royal College of
Nursing, said: “If this is the beginning of a long-term drop in the number of
nurses coming to the UK from other parts of the EU, that’s a serious concern at
a time when we’re already facing a crisis in nurse staffing numbers.”
“With 24,000 nursing vacancies across the UK, the NHS could
not cope without the contribution from EU nurses. Without a guarantee that EU
nationals working in the NHS can remain, it will be much harder to retain and
recruit staff from the EU, and patient care will suffer as a result.”
The 2016 Immigration Act has introduced tough new measures
for illegal migrants and visa overstayers, but the new £30,000
minimum salary for a work permit and settlement rules may be deterring
overseas nurses,
Based on my own previous experience on recruitment trips to Romania, Spain, Portugal and Bulgaria, the UK is not always the first choice for EU nurses.Many would choose Germany, France or Belgium, which offer excellent packages. Unlike non-EU nurses on work permits, EU nurses are more transient and prepared to return home after a period on working in the UK.
Based on my own previous experience on recruitment trips to Romania, Spain, Portugal and Bulgaria, the UK is not always the first choice for EU nurses.Many would choose Germany, France or Belgium, which offer excellent packages. Unlike non-EU nurses on work permits, EU nurses are more transient and prepared to return home after a period on working in the UK.
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