Bosses say UK's immigration rules deter investorsPost by Ian MacLeod on 27th July 2012 in Immigration As leading trade officials from the UK prepare to launch an initiative designed to attract attention to the country's potential as a business location, a new report from a government-funded body says firms are put off locating there because of tough restrictions. Half of potential investors gave the bad press given to migrants coming to the UK as a key concern, well above issues such as personal taxation, red tape, and the availability of skilled workers. "These concerns have the prospect of impacting adversely on companies' immediate business competitiveness and therefore the UK's ability to attract investment," the report says. In the report, from UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), and leaked to the Independent newspaper, bosses say problems in securing visas for employees coming to the UK, and the need for greater fluency in the English language among prospective staff, are major barriers to efforts to find suitable staff when they are looking to expand their businesses. UKTI said: "The maintenance of an internationally competitive domestic business environment is fundamental to Government being able to deliver the growth agenda", adding that high-value overseas investment was also a key requirement.
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