Reducing the salary threshold is a good start but several other elements within the Immigration White Paper also need a rethink - FMB
Federation of Master Builders
1 min read
The Secretary of State’s decision to ditch the £30,000 salary threshold is a victory for common sense, says Sarah McMonagle, Director of Communications at the Federation of Master Builders.
Sarah McMonagle, Director of Communications at the Federation of Master Builders, said:
“The Secretary of State’s decision to ditch the £30,000 salary threshold is a victory for common sense.
"I’m glad the Government has recognised our calls to look again at this London-centric salary threshold and accept that such a move would exclude thousands of skilled workers, based on a meaningless salary threshold, who can make a positive contribution to our economy.
"The Government now needs to reassess the skills threshold they have proposed in the Immigration White Paper and reduce the Level required from 3 to 2.
"The majority of UK construction workers are trained to Level 2 so to impose a Level 3 requirement on migrant workers is unjust and counterintuitive.
"With 64% of construction SMEs struggling to hire bricklayers, we will not be able to build the 300,000 new homes the Government has pledged to deliver without migrant workers.
"Even as we up the ante in terms of training the domestic workforce, we will continue to need significant numbers of workers from abroad in order to hit the target.
"Reducing the salary threshold is a good start but several other elements within the Immigration White Paper also need a rethink.”
