PCG newsletter 23/02: August 15, 2002:
Fast Track Visas - call for evidence
In this issue:
- Fast Track Visas - call for evidence
- Real Life Meetings
1. Fast Track Visas - call for evidence
The Professional Contractors Group became a member of the
Government's Skills Sector Panel for IT in autumn last year.
The panel advises what skills in the IT sector are in short
supply and would be eligible for the issuing of fast track
visas to overseas workers to meet a perceived need in the
market-place. Work Permits UK now are asking organisations
on the Skills Sector Panel to justify which skills are still
in short supply. Until now the PCG has had to supply evidence
to justify skills coming off the list. The PCG has long
argued that it should be the other way round, and it looks
as though the message has got through.
The PCG would like to hear from contractors who have any
of the skills on the shortage list. The list is shown below.
The Work Permits scheme is flawed because it only recognises
PAYE work and not contractors, even though it is contractors
who are being replaced by permit workers contracting in
to do the job through a third party body shop or even a
shell company.
If you have any of the skills listed below, please email
[email protected]
To make the evidence 'stand up' with Work Permits UK, it
would help if you could indicate that you would be prepared
to take assignments as a PAYE worker.
The PCG will forward your emails to Work Permits UK, and
will also present this evidence at next week´s Skills
Sector Panel meeting. At the Wednesday meeting the committee
will consider using industry surveys and information as
strong markers for future examinations of the skills list,
which is also something for which the PCG has argued.
Additionally, next week the PCG´s Gurdial Rai and
Philip Ross will be meeting Work Permit UK officials to
discuss bogus job adverts and the way that firms are body
shopping´ workers into the UK to replace contractors.
They will present a further dossier of abuse cases for investigation.
Skills Shortage List
Occupation: Architects in senior positions only, Technology
area: Java
Occupation: Business Analyst, Technology area: In any technology
area
Occupation: Network Specialist, Technology area: Microsoft
NT, Windows2000, any UNIX network systems
Occupation: Analyst Programmer, Technology area: Active
Server Pages/Activex
Occupation: Database Specialist, Technology area: Cool:gen
Occupation: Software Engineer, Technology area: Peoplesoft,
SQL Server, XML, DHTML, Broadvision E-Commerce Tools, All
customer relationship Management (CRM) and Computer technology
(CTI) packages (especially Siebel, Clarify and Oracle CRM)
If you have any of these skills, please email
[email protected]
For more information on the shortage list, click on http://www.workpermits.gov.uk/default.asp?pageid=2595
2. Real Life Meetings
PCG members hold local meetings to socialise, to network
and to discuss PCG issues. These meetings are open to everybody,
and new members are welcome to come along.
Glos/Wilts
*****
Wednesday 21 August 2002
Golden Heart, Nettleton, Glos (A419) from 7.30pm. Newcomers
welcome
Herts
*****
Thursday 29 August 2002, 7.30 pm
The Five Horseshoes, 1 Church Road, Little Berkhamsted,
Hertford SG13 8LY
Details of this and other Real Life Meetings in the forum:
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/wwwthreads.pl?a=l&f=meet
To promote your local meeting through the newsletter -
email [email protected]
with REGIONS in the subject matter, details of the event
and a name and email contact point/or phone number for further
information.
Issued on behalf of:
Professional Contractors Group
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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