Responding
to the Migration Advisory Committee report , Alistair Jarvis, Chief Executive of
Universities UK, said:
“As we leave the EU, it is vital that the UK remains a world
leader in science and research and is open and welcoming to global talent to
maximise universities’ positive impact on the UK economy and society. Some of
the MAC recommendations are
a step in the right direction, recognising the
importance of employer demand but concluding the skilled entry route needs
reform.
“While there is welcome recognition that the salary threshold of
£30k was too high, there should be a further reduction to attract the diverse
workforce, including lab technicians and language assistants, who are vital to
supporting the success of our universities. We are also concerned that standard
salary levels in higher education sectors would no longer be recognised,
meaning it will be harder to attract international talent into key lecturer
roles. Our
recent polling showed the British public overwhelmingly believe that immigrants
should be welcomed into the country on the strength of their skills and
potential and not be judged on their salary alone.
“Combined with the recently announced changes to Tier 1 a package
of positive immigration reforms is developing but needs further improvement.
The Government must ensure that new immigration arrangements avoid potential
unintended negative consequences for the ability of universities to attract the
brightest talent with minimal barriers and to continue our world leading
research and teaching.”
Notes
UUK had recommended a salary
threshold of £21k to allow recruitment for the technician and language
assistant roles across the higher education sector.
Our recent polling showed
the British public overwhelmingly believe that immigrants should be
welcomed into the country on the strength of their skills and potential
rather than facing a system that judges them on their salary alone.
A
nationally agreed single pay spine covers the majority of HE institutions
and is available here. This framework would not be reflected under the MAC’s
proposals.
Following
the previous announcement of a two-year post-study work route for
international graduates, we also welcome the recommendation in today’s MAC
report that the new entrant route should be extended to five years, as
this will help early career researchers to progress in the UK.
Universities
UK is the collective voice of 137 universities in England, Scotland, Wales
and Northern Ireland. Its mission is to create the conditions for UK
universities to be the best in the world; maximising their positive impact
locally, nationally and globally. Universities UK acts on behalf of
universities, represented by their heads of institution. Visit: www.universitiesuk.ac.uk
