Businesses need immigration

The ever-reliable FT yesterday posted this article highlighting how the implementation of the government's immigration cap is causing businesses real headaches.

It appears that in an effort to prevent a rush of applications a temporary cap has been put in place and work permits allocated based on companies' applications last year.  Last year, of course, was a terrible year for business and is an entirely unreasonable year to base calculations on for a year when the economy is beginning to grow again.

(image from Guernsey Post website)

Now, of course companies should make use of home-grown talent where they can.  But that is clearly not always possible, especially for those competing for the best of international talent in science, technology and financial services for example.

The government should be encouraging growth and the competitiveness of British industry.  It needs some joined-up thinking on this issue, pronto.

This is the sort of thing the Business Secretary should be able to tackle through the Economic Affairs Cabinet committee of which Vince Cable is Deputy Chair (the Chancellor is the Chair).  Businesses seeking to resolve this issue could do worse than to ensure they brief each Minister attending that committee and the Department they represent on why this needs a re-think.