Ensuring that the capital can continue to attract global talent
once the UK has left the European Union will be top of the agenda
at a summit hosted by the Mayor of London, , today.
London has a proud history of welcoming talented people from
across the world, and migration is crucial for the capital’s
economy, with 616,000 people born elsewhere in Europe currently
working in London – 12.5 per cent of the entire workforce.
The Mayor is concerned that the government’s current lurch
towards an extreme, hard Brexit will place restrictions on the
number of skilled workers who are able to come to the capital,
potentially damaging investment and growth in the city.
Today’s City Hall summit will discuss how a flexible system to
attract the talent London needs is needed for the capital so it
can remain the best city in the world to do business.
Points raised at the summit will help to inform the Mayor’s
monthly meetings with , the Secretary of State for
Exiting the European Union.
The summit is also likely to consider what should be done to make
it easier for high-skilled workers and students from other key
partners, such as India, China and the United States, to come to
Britain.
The Mayor of London, , said: “Attracting talent from
across the world is part of this city’s DNA. London voted
decisively to remain in the EU. Although Britain has voted to
leave the EU, we cannot use that as an excuse to pull up the
drawbridge and close our doors to the skilled workforce our
economy needs to thrive.
“If the government continues to speed ahead full throttle with a
dangerous form of Brexit that prioritises restrictions on
migration over supporting economic growth, the end result will be
fewer jobs, reduced investment and lower tax revenues across the
entire country.
“All the experts I speak to tell me, loud and clear, that
securing access to talent is at the top of the Brexit shopping
list. There are already interesting options on the table for
London-specific migration systems and if the government will not
listen to our genuine concerns we will not hesitate to look at
them in much greater detail.”
Sadiq has also set up Skills for Londoners to train up Londoners
to have the skills needed for tomorrow’s jobs, but it will remain
the case that skilled workers from the EU are vital to the
capital’s economy, with 95,000 employed in the construction
industry, 49,000 in financial and insurance activities and 58,000
in professional, scientific and technical activities. Many of
those working in these industries are employed in senior
roles.
Sadiq is also arguing that the best way to safeguard continuing
prosperity was for the UK to remain in the Single Market. He
believes that free movement has in general benefitted the London
and UK economies but accepted that, as part of the negotiations,
discussions should be held about what appropriate restrictions on
free movement could be permitted, and in what circumstances.
If the government does not heed his advice and moves ahead with
plans to leave the Single Market in order to curtail immigration,
and following that fails to offer a flexible skilled migration
system for London, Sadiq will look in greater detail at
London-specific proposals.
Last year, the City of London and PwC published a discussion
paper on how a regionalised visa system could work to meet skills
shortages and attract global talent
Today’s summit is attended by experts including Julia
Onslow-Cole, Head of Immigration at PwC and Mark Hilton,
immigration and employment director at London First and Matthew
Percival, Head of Employment at the Confederation of British
Industry
Julia Onslow-Cole, Head of Immigration at PwC, said: “"Skills
shortages are at the top of the agenda for many Businesses. It is
imperative that we swiftly resolve the situation of EU citizens
and map out a flexible and agile immigration policy for the
future. A future immigration policy with regional differences is
an optimal way forward."
Mark Hilton, immigration and employment director at London First,
said: “London’s global workforce makes a huge contribution to the
UK’s economic success, creating around £83 billion each year.
Business leaders are working together to propose a realistic way
forward that will manage immigration while ensuring we stay open
to the people we need post-Brexit. We will do more to develop
skills but there’s no getting away from the fact that we need to
continue to attract the doctors, engineers, care workers,
builders and other talented people that contribute so much,
otherwise we risk damaging our economy at a time when London, and
the UK, needs to be firing on all cylinders.”
