| PCG newsletter 25/02: Aug. 29, 2002:
PCG Success on FTV Removal
In this issue:
- PCG Success at Removal Of Fast Track Visas
- Real Life Meetings
1. PCG Success at Removal Of Fast Track Visas
After a year of leading the campaign to have the work
permits system overhauled, the Professional Contractors
Group has convinced the Government to wipe clean the IT
shortage occupation list.
This means an end to the so-called 'Fast Track Visa'
route for IT, which granted work permits to foreign workers
with skills on the list, and which was considered to be
subject to widespread abuse.
In future a work permit will be granted only where there
is evidence that a post cannot be filled from the resident
workforce. From 1 September, all IT work permit applications
must show that the job has been advertised in either a
national newspaper or a relevant trade journal.
The PCG has collected evidence from its members and presented
it to Home Office Ministers and at the Skills Sector Panel
meetings to demonstrate that the skills which were included
on the list as being in short supply were in fact plentiful.
On 21 August 2002, at a meeting attended by the PCG,
the Home Office considered the current state of the IT
labour market and has decided that all occupations should
be removed from the Work Permits (UK) IT shortage occupation
list, and as such, there will no longer be a shortage
list for the IT Sector.
The IT labour market will be reviewed every three months,
and the IT occupation shortage list could be revived at
some point in the future. However new procedures have
been agreed which would mean that an occupation can go
on or remain on the list only if there is demonstrable
evidence of a shortage.
Jane Akshar, Chairman of the Professional Contractors
Group, said, "This is excellent news. It demonstrates
how we have been able to work with the Government and
the other members of the Skills Sector Panel to show clearly
that these skills were not in short supply in the UK."
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.
Milton Keynes
*****
The next Milton Keynes meeting will take place on Tuesday
10 September on 8.00 pm at The Plough, Stony Stratford.
Cambridge
*****
Date : Wed 18 September
Time : 7.30pm
Place : Golden Hind, Milton Road
Contact : [email protected]
Maidenhead
*****
The next meeting in Maidenhead will take place on Wednesday
25 September in The Vine, Maidenhead.
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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Group.
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