The list of 'shortage occupations', representatives of which are especially needed by the country's economy, includes school teachers of mathematics and natural sciences, some engineering and technical specialties – for example, electric welders or good mechanics are in demand. Also needed are doctors, qualified nurses, as well as head chefs, ballerinas, frozen fish boners. The final version of the list will be published in a month, but it is already clear that the number of occupations in it is shrinking. British authorities intend to reduce the number of labor migrants from non-EU countries by more than 30%. As a source in the Home Office told Vremya Novostei, the total number of jobs open to foreign workers is being reduced from about 1 million to 700,000.
To obtain the right to work in Great Britain, a migrant will need to score at least 70 points. Knowledge of English gives 10 points. Other points can be earned on education, work experience, and salary level. If your occupation is in the shortage list, that adds 50 points immediately.
The innovations could complicate the situation for employers relying on foreign labor. According to Professor David Metcalf, head of the Migration Advisory Committee at the Home Office, to hire citizens from non-EU countries, employers will have to overcome at least three obstacles: 'First, they must prove that the vacant position requires skilled labor; second, that there is a genuine shortage in this area; and third – and this is perhaps the most important – that inviting a worker from abroad will have a positive long-term effect, as opposed to seeking a short-term solution.'
Some sectors of the British economy are seriously concerned about the government's focus solely on attracting highly qualified personnel. These concerns were shared with the publication by Tony Bradley, a representative of a large company that manages 87 homes for the elderly: 'In total, we have about 4,000 employees who serve 3,600 elderly residents. These are very difficult patients, they need constant help, and not only or so much medical as daily living and psychological support. Our staff must speak good English and understand the dialects that patients often use. But our salaries are low because the state, which purchases these services from us, allocates rather modest sums for elderly care. In recent years, we have relied on labor from Southeast Asia. These people know the language well, are attentive to patients, and have sufficient medical knowledge. Now that "window" seems to be closing. I foresee big problems in filling vacancies in our facilities.'
However, the almost uncontrolled influx of foreigners into Great Britain over the past 10-15 years has caused serious strain on the education and healthcare systems, and has given rise to severe interethnic and social problems. Many British cities are unable to 'digest' thousands of foreigners who often do not understand English, do not embrace local traditions and way of life, and do not accept the new culture. According to the Office for National Statistics, more than a third of the 3.6 million working Londoners were born outside the United Kingdom. In the city of Leicester, for example, the proportion is reversed: two-thirds of workers are foreign-born.
Correcting these imbalances is now demanded by virtually all political parties in Great Britain. Labour MP Frank Field and his colleague from the Conservative Party Nicholas Soames (grandson of Churchill) have created a special cross-party parliamentary commission on immigration, which advocates a new, 'balanced' approach to this issue. According to the influential newspaper The Sun, immigration issues will play a primary role in the next general election in 2010.
As for the latest changes in the rules, as noted in an interview with a journalist by Oleg Degtyarev, director of an English law firm, no fundamental changes in immigration policy have occurred: 'Back in 2006, Great Britain set a course for stricter selection of labor migrants, a so-called points-based selection system was introduced, which put qualifications at the forefront. In other words, the higher the level of specialist, the more points they earn. British authorities say "welcome" to such people, but for unskilled labor, the principle "no entry for outsiders" applies.'
How much harder will it be for people from the former USSR to find work in Albion? According to Oleg Degtyarev, no significant changes should be expected: 'British officials strictly follow the letter of the law, and the law makes no distinctions between representatives of different nationalities. The attitude toward Ukrainians, Russians, Belarusians, and other former compatriots is the same as toward people from Asia, Africa, or Australia. If you are a high-grade welder, then come in; but if you can do nothing but wash dishes, then we have plenty of those ourselves.'