Fees
for employers applying for work permits for foreign staff will be increased
from June 2004, saving taxpayers more than £30m a year, the Home Office
announced today.
The
Government said the revised fee is necessary to ensure that those who use the
Work Permits (UK) service continue to pay the full cost of providing it.
A
12-week business consultation period for the new fee increases will begin
today.
Home
Office minister, Beverley Hughes, said it was in the nation’s interests to
harness the innovation, skills and productivity that new migrants could bring.
"However,
these benefits are reciprocal," she said. "It is only right that
businesses who derive benefits from recruiting overseas workers pay the
administrative costs of processing applications, rather than taxpayers."
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