Immigration crackdown ‘deterring talent’Post by Ian MacLeod on 20th June 2012 in Immigration Prime minister David Cameron has been warned that his government’s recent changes to the immigration system are making it harder for UK firms to recruit foreign talent. According to the Independent, critics from the City of London discussed the matter with Mr Cameron in a recent meeting at Downing Street. They warned that some major multinational firms were reassessing investment plans as a result of the new regulations. Under reforms introduced by home secretary Theresa May, foreign workers must now spend a year outside the UK when switching between temporary and permanent visas. The move was intended to prevent firms from using “intra-company transfers” to obtain visas. “There are countries in the world with immense economic growth like Singapore. They are relaxing immigration laws for these senior managers,” said Julia Onslow-Cole, head of global immigration at PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal, noting that tighter immigration controls had deterred investment. Ms May and immigration minister Damian Green recently unveiled a host of changes to Britain’s immigration system, including tougher controls on student visas and an income threshold for people looking to bring spouses into the country from outside the EU.
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