IMMIGRATION
Effects of culture on engagement As a member of London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s Brexit Advisory Group and having given evidence to the European Parliament as an expert on migration, Julia Onslow-Cole was able to demonstrate both the positive impact of migration on local economies and the business-critical need for skills mobility. Drawing on economic analysis (based on
ten years’ data) from PwC in partnership with campaign group London First, Ms Onslow-Cole highlighted that, on average, a migrant worker in a full-time job in London contributed to the economy an additional £46,000 net in gross value-added (GVA) each year. The additional GVA generated by ten migrant-worker jobs supported an additional four jobs in the wider economy. Julia Onslow-Cole also cited the
importance of migration to the UK’s construction industry. In London, the sector employs nearly 300,000 builders, developers, contractors and engineers. Half were born in the UK, 30 per cent in the EU, and 20 per cent elsewhere in the world. What with Brexit and the fact that a fifth of UK-born construction workers will reach retirement age in the next five years, the skills deficit is expected to increase.
A ‘challenging picture’ The political wrangling over immigration is likely to create a very difficult situation for employers. EU chief negotiator Guy
POST-BREXIT IMMIGRATION: NEW MAC REVIEW
At the end of July, as part of an effort to develop a post- Brexit immigration system, the British government ordered a yearlong assessment of the economic importance of migration from the European Union to the UK. It is being undertaken by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). The CIPD, the professional body for HR and people responded to this announcement by
development,
acknowledging the skills challenges that current and future migration restrictions posed for employers. Gerwyn Davies, its senior labour-market analyst, urged companies to take action to head off talent shortages. Said Mr Davies, “Employers looking to hire workers
from inside the EU must respond now to the prospect of migration restrictions, or face the consequences of recruitment difficulties in the future. The point is that these initiatives can take months, or even years, to come to fruition, so employers need to put wheels in motion now.” It’s essential that HR, global managers, relocation
professionals, immigration specialists, business leaders, schools and accommmodation providers have their say on this vital aspect of global mobility. Visit
www.gov.uk/ government/organisations/migration-advisory-committee. The deadline for responses is 27 October 2017.
Verhofstadt’s absolute requirement for EU citizens in the UK to maintain their current rights, supported by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), is at odds with the UK’s Brexit plans. “The ECJ point is important, and therefore it will be quite difficult
to resolve and for the UK to back down,” commented Julia Onslow-Cole. Adding to the challenges for global mobility are the evolving
iterations of Donald Trump’s emergency immigration measures, the latest of which were announced recently. Recalling the uncertainty and challenge of the first round
of changes, Ms Onslow-Cole said, “The travel ban came out of the blue. As the US Embassy put something up on its website, it would have to change it again. It was a constantly changing situation.” The rollback of the H1B visa – “the lifeblood of Silicon Valley”
– was already seeing companies take work back to India, added Ms Onslow-Cole, while, in China, the new online visa and work-permit process was creating further obstacles for companies looking to deploy people on assignment. Employers were reporting that it was taking from six to eight months to get a visa, she said. “It is a very challenging picture for global mobility. The challenge
is that we are being squeezed by the geopolitical landscape and businesses wanting flexibility. But we have to keep companies compliant,” she said.
Planning, technology and insight One of the solutions is the nascent field of data analytics and asking the right questions to get visa-ready for groups of people with particular skills. This encourages companies to engage with mobility and immigration expertise early. For mobility, therefore, said Julia Onslow-Cole, “It’s about
persuading decision-makers to give the heads-up quickly to avoid blocks and delays.” PwC is one of the companies that have developed apps to give rapid insight into the likely immigration considerations of assignments, and to track them (see p29). While these responses are a good start, the challenge will be in continuing to adapt to these testing times. Ms Onslow-Cole concluded, “Regretfully, I think the current climate is only going to make it harder for immigration and global mobility.”
For further coverage of key themes explored at the Global Expansion Summit, visit
relocateglobal.com
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