London’s critical mass of talented people from around the globe is a major competitive advantage. As the capital recovers from the pandemic, it is critical that this attractiveness is maintained.
The UK must give a clear message that it is “open for business”, now more than ever, and our aim is to ensure government makes further changes to the immigration regime to secure a fair and managed system that keeps the door open to the skills business needs. London First has a long track record of working with employers and the Home Office to influence UK immigration policy.
We brought together a coalition of business and education bodies to campaign for an immigration system which keeps the UK open to workers at all levels. The #FullStrength campaign had four key asks, three of which have now been progressed:
- a salary threshold lowered to £20,000 [secured]
- a two-year temporary work route
- a freelance route as part of Tier 1 [secured]
- a streamlined system [partially secured]
We continue to advocate for greater flexibility in the system that would secure the temporary work route.
Underpinning our FullStrength campaign, our Global Britain report with PwC was informed by comparable systems from around the world and proposed a new pro-growth immigration approach to ensure the UK can access the people and skills it needs post-Brexit. The report successfully influenced government thinking ahead of its immigration white paper in December 2018.
Read our responses to the Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) consultation on EEA citizens, and our response to the consultation on international students. We also responded to the MAC’s consultation on a salary threshold and points based system.
London’s migrant workforce
In our report with PwC, we laid out the facts on London’s migrant workforce; overseas talent is of huge value to the UK, contributing a net additional £46,000 in Gross Value Added a year to London’s economy.
This doesn’t just benefit the capital, London’s migrant labour results in £30bn additional GVA to the wider UK economy each year. For every 2.5 migrant workers in London, a new job is created.
Employers across the capital rely on people born outside of the UK to fill skills shortages and help grow their businesses: 15% of people working in London’s financial services were born in the EU, nearly one in three workers in the construction sector, and over one in ten doctors in the NHS.
International Students
London is the world’s most popular place to study, and our international students bring a net benefit of £2.3 billion a year to the UK economy.
Our report, London Calling concludes that the capital’s higher education system is an export success story, with 92 per cent of students saying they would recommend studying in the UK to their friends and family.
International students were shown to contribute a total of £2.8 billion through the spending they bring to the country, while only consuming £540 million in public spending. London Calling successfully called for the reinstatement of the post-study work visa.
