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According to SJD Accountancy, the UK financial services sector needs more non-EU workers due to a worsening skills shortage. The increase in demand has occurred at a time when recruiters across the financial services sector are experiencing greater difficulties in obtaining Tier 2 visas. The tier 2 visa cap of 20,700 means that there are not enough Restricted Tier 2 (General) Certificates of Sponsorship (COS) available to meet demand.
The Department of Homeland Security [DHS] is proposing employment-based immigration regulations to make life easier for highly-skilled immigrants and their employers in the US. The proposed regulations come in response to directives given by US President, Barack Obama, in November 2014 as part of Obama's executive actions on immigration reform. People who may benefit from the proposed changes are those on temporary work visas waiting for a green card.
According to a report by the Sydney Morning Herald – a popular Australian newspaper – and as previously reported by workpermit.com, there are fewer Irish backpackers applying for Australian working holiday visas such as the 417 visa. The report states that Irish backpacker numbers in Australia have declined by more than half in the past three years. Australian immigration needs to do more to encourage people to come to Australia under the working holidaymaker visa scheme.
The CIPD – the professional body for those in HR and people development – has warned UK businesses to make contingency plans for recruiting staff. The CIPD warns that UK immigration rules are going to make it increasingly difficult for companies to employ migrant workers from outside the European Union/European Economic Area.
Controversial new plans, which would mean that EU migrant workers would only be able to claim benefits from their home Country in the first twelve months after arriving in the UK, or after arriving in another EU member State; could potentially encourage more EU workers from mainland Europe to relocate to Britain according to a former Downing Street economist. This could very well result in an increase in UK immigration.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has once again expressed concerns about UK immigration policy; this time stating that the government needs to come up with a new immigration policy if the country's economy is to flourish. In particular, the body thinks that the government needs to rethink its approach to foreign workers and its Tier 2 Visa system.