UK Government May Tighten Rules on Overseas Hiring in Tech and Engineering Sectors

The UK government plans to curb overseas hiring in the tech and engineering sectors, which could affect Indian professionals. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has asked the Migration Advisory Committee to review the reliance on skilled worker visas, aiming to align immigration with skills policy and address the unsustainable levels of international recruitment.

Indian tech professionals may face challenges as the new UK government moves to curb overseas hiring in technology and engineering sectors. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has directed the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the reliance of these sectors on skilled worker visas. This development could significantly impact Indian workers, who have been among the top users of work visas in the UK.

In her letter to the MAC Chair, Cooper emphasized the need to understand why certain key occupations, such as information technology and telecommunications, heavily depend on international recruitment. While acknowledging the contributions of workers from around the world, Cooper stressed that the current levels of international recruitment are unsustainable and reflect ongoing skills shortages in the UK.

The government's goal is to align immigration with skills policy, creating a more coherent approach to the labor market. Cooper noted that the existing system is not operating in the national interest and promised a fairer, more integrated approach to managing the labor market.

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Despite these changes, recent data from the UK Home Office shows a significant decline in visa applications from students and skilled workers. With new restrictions on family dependents, applications in key visa categories—Skilled Worker, Health and Care, and Study—have dropped by 35 percent in the first seven months of 2024 compared to the same period last year.

A UK Home Office spokesperson stated, "Immigration brings many benefits to the UK, but it must be controlled and delivered through a fair system."