British Members of Parliament have
warned that plans to deport skilled migrant workers who earn less than
£35 000 per year and originate from non-European Union (EU) countries
will create a skills shortage in the economy. At least 40 000 migrants,
among them Zimbabweans, will be affected by the new regulations which
come into effect on April 6. The new earnings threshold will
particularly affect those in low skilled jobs. The United Kingdom Office
of National Statistics reported the Zimbabwean population in Britain
increased from 47 158 in 2001 to an estimated 200 000 in 2010.
The proposals, which were mooted by the
UK Home Secretary, Mrs Theresa May, were recently lambasted by MPs at
Westminster Hall during a parliamentary debate examining the UK’s
immigration policy.
UK media reports say the discussion
offered the first official platform for MPs to analyze the policy, which
was pushed through the House of Commons in the absence of a
parliamentary vote in 2012.
The threshold could lead to thousands of
Zimbabwean teachers, charity workers and those employed in the National
Health Service (NHS) being deported from the UK if they fail to meet
certain financial criteria.
The new immigration policy means non-EU
workers who have lived in Britain for five years will be required to
prove they earn £35 000 (US$50 000) to avoid deportation. However,
workers who fall into the category of Shortage Occupations, will be
exempt from the measure.
Although nurses and doctors are
currently exempted from the earnings threshold, May said they were
likely to be affected in future should the government decide to take
them off the Shortage Occupation List.
Scientists and researchers in PhD level
jobs will also be exempt from the earnings test. Others that could be
widely affected are students. Britain’s Stop35k campaign says it
understands the need to curb migration, but argues that a £35 000
minimum salary across all sectors is simply too high.
The group says the new policy will cost
the UK government hundreds of millions of pounds at a time of austerity,
and will also displace valuable employees. Stop35k has launched a
petition against the threshold, calling on the government to delay
implementing the policy.
A petition on the website of the UK
parliament in support of a rethink has since attracted more than 110 000
signatures. Mr Joshua Harbord, who set up the petition, recently told
The Independent that he decided to take action because he knew a number
of “incredibly upset and scared” people who were set to be affected by
the changes had no one speaking up on their behalf.
The debate was attended by seven
Scottish National Party (SNP) MPs, three Tory MPs and two Labour MPs. Ms
May did not attend the debate and her decision to send junior minister
Mr Richard Harrington in her place sparked anger among critics and the
opposition.
Labour MP Mr Keir Starmer expressed
concern, saying the threshold could create grave skills shortages in the
UK economy. Speaking during the debate, SNP MP Mr Kirsten Oswald
branded the threshold “overly simplistic” and “crude.”
Other MPs argued it failed to heed
varying wage levels across the UK. SNP MP for Edinburgh East Mr Tommy
Shepard called the measures “ludicrous” and said they failed to take
into account “regional variations” across the UK. He warned the policy
would further imbalance Britain’s economy.
The plan by the British government has
been met with condemnation from opposition parties and sections of
British society who argue the new earnings are “discriminatory” and
likely to starve Britain of vital talent in the teaching, charity and entrepreneurial sectors.
Mr Carmichael, the Liberal Democrat home
affairs spokesman, told The Independent: “Britain must remain open for
business — we should be looking to attract the best and brightest not
turn them away. Discrimination based on income fails to take talent and
new sectors like tech start-ups, whose staff might be paid less than £35
000, are essential in keeping the UK at the forefront of the global
economy.”
From April 6, only those that earn £35
000 and above a year will be eligible to apply for “indefinite leave to
remain” once they have lived in the UK for five years.
Source-Herald
