Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Latest NewsMigrant workersRecruitment & retention

UK points-based immigration system deemed ‘utterly inflexible’ by lawyers

by Tara Craig 18 Aug 2009
by Tara Craig 18 Aug 2009

The government’s points-based immigration system has caused unexpected problems for UK companies hiring staff from overseas because it is “utterly inflexible”, the Financial Times has reported.

The points-based system was launched last year in a bid to keep ‘British jobs for British workers’, but has led to delays in visa approvals for organisations recruiting foreign staff for positions in the UK. It has also led to problems with graduate recruitment, internships and training schemes.

Leading immigration lawyers told the Financial Times that the system was “utterly inflexible” and pointed to the absurdity of FTSE 100 companies having to advertise senior positions in local job centres to see if a UK resident could fill the role.

Employers’ group the CBI said it strongly supported the points-based system and that the Home Office was responding quickly to problems.

But Neil Carberry, head of employment policy at the CBI, said: “There is growing frustration that rules are getting changed pretty much on a weekly basis, and there is frustration about visa delays.”

The Home Office said nine out of 10 visa applications outside the UK were being processed within three weeks. It added it was exploring changes to internship rules and encouraging visa case workers to be flexible over mistakes on application forms.

Lin Homer, UK Border Agency chief executive, told the FT: “Where concerns have been raised we have acted swiftly.”

Avatar
Tara Craig

previous post
McDonald’s HR chief appointed chairman of sector skills council for hospitality
next post
Personnel Today HR Power Players – vote for the winner

You may also like

MAC recommends scrapping shortage occupation list

4 Oct 2023

Historical holiday underpayments must be paid

4 Oct 2023

Scientist wins £340,000 in age discrimination case

4 Oct 2023

Sham training of security officers exposed

3 Oct 2023

ICO publishes workplace monitoring guidance

3 Oct 2023

Consultants offer ‘olive branch’ on strikes

3 Oct 2023

Personnel Today Awards 2023 shortlist: Innovation in Recruitment...

3 Oct 2023

Top 10 HR questions September 2023: the role...

3 Oct 2023

Brand and belonging: why workplace culture is key...

3 Oct 2023

Will the Predictable Terms and Conditions Act change...

3 Oct 2023

  • Almost a fifth of UK workers feel undervalued – we need to solve this PROMOTED | A new report has found...Read more
  • Discover the value of CIPD accreditation PROMOTED | See how the CIPD can increase your earning potential...Read more
  • What does it mean to be an HR professional in 2024? (survey) PROMOTED | The world of HR is changing rapidly...Read more
  • The Contractor Management Mastery Pack: Everything you need to manage and pay global contractors PROMOTED | Answers to cross-border...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+