More Indian IT workers move to UK amid visa curbs

Wednesday, 29/02/2012

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/nri/visa-and-immigration/more-indian-it-workers-move-to-uk-amid-visa-curbs/articleshow/12084173.cms

Amid curbs on the number of non-EU professionals coming to the UK, new figures show that more Indian IT workers moved to Britain under the 'intra-company transfer' route of immigration last year than in previous years.

Official figures released by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) of the Home Office reveal that more Indian and other non-EU professionals came to the UK under the 'intra-company transfer' (ICT) route than under the usual work visa route.

The figures show that the number of workers being brought into the UK under the ICT scheme increased from 20,000 in 2009 to 29,700 in the 12 months to September 2011. About two-thirds of the 29,700 visas granted under the ICT route were third-party contractors, and of those two thirds were from India.

The route enables companies to transfer staff from overseas to work in the UK. The ICT route is not included in the annual limit of 21,700 non-EU professionals to come to the UK.

In fact, there are indications that the limit of 21,700 until April under the usual immigration categories for professionals may be easily met due to tighter rules.

The figures prompted concern that the Cameron government's efforts to limit immigration from outside the EU was being thwarted by the higher number coming through the ICT route, but business leaders cautioned against imposing new curbs on the ICT route.

Employers' groups including the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the British Chambers of Commerce urged the government not to reduce the number of migrant workers allowed via the ICT route, on the ground that it is vital for companies to access the specialist skills they need.

Professor David Metcalf, MAC chairman, said the government should review the rules governing ICTs if they wanted to stick to a pledge to bring immigration down to the "tens of thousands".

"They are doing absolutely nothing wrong here, but it's consultancy companies bringing workers in, typically IT workers, typically from India," he said.

Employees carry out some work in India and then come to the UK to do other work at the UK client's base, before returning to India to complete the work, he said.

"It's here that I think we need to keep this under review," Prof Metcalf said, adding "It's this group which has grown substantially in the past decade, even in the last five years."

He said these workers may well be displacing British IT workers, but equally it may well be that UK plc gains overall.

Neil Carberry, CBI director for employment, said Intra- company transfers "enable businesses to move their own staff to the UK for a limited period of time to fulfil a particular need, and they underpin a lot of investment in the UK".