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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
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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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This newsletter is published by the Professional Contractors Group.
Please feel free to circulate the newsletter to other independent contractors who may be interested in joining the PCG. Members are also encouraged to share the latest news and analysis with interested agents, clients and accountants.

Some links in the newsletter will take you into the password-protected members' area of the PCG website. If you have forgotten your password, contact https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/scripts/public/access/form.pl
To view the Forum links in this newsletter, you must be first logged into the Forum. Further details available at
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/members/discussion_forum.html

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