Government reduces minimum salary for migrants to settle in UK

I see the Metropolitan police warned Patel of the danger of far right activists attacking lawyers, after her remarks about “left wing lawyers” what an ignorant remark! But then she isn’t exactly the brightest spark in the box.

She apparently, - according to the police, ignored the warnings and lawyers have been subsequently attacked.

We need people who want to work to be here to pay taxes and not all the jobs we desperately need done come with high salaries so I always thought the threshold too high.

The groups who who will benefit from this will be scientific researchers, medical staff and teachers, all of them much needed by the UK.

Theresa May was a ghastly woman who made life immeasurably hard for migrants and was solely responsible for the Windrush generation getting mistreated and demonised, many being made homeless, jobless and denied crucial medical care. That the woman continues to be an MP after what she's done beggars belief. She introduced an impossibly high minimum wage just for migrants, forcing families apart and damaging them. It's about time it was lowered (not nearly low enough even NOW, if you ask me). All this to woo the votes of right wing ejits who think there are "too many immigrants" around, when these same people will be crying foul if they don't get seen immediately in A&E or their local GP Surgery, owing to there not being enough doctors and nurses and healthcare staff, the majority of whom are immigrants.

wow they were quiet about his Gaga !

I reckon that salary must equate a particular job where there are shortages..what an odd figure...
Why not a round £20,500

Good.

This is a good thing. But would it have been better to raise the wages of essential workers, so that they met the original threshold?

Indeed Ilovecheese that would have been far better. It might also act to decrease the number of people from overseas needed to fill the jobs as the work might become more attractive to people already resident in the UK. Just a thought!

I know that the universities have been making a huge fuss about it. Many scientists come to the UK to do PhDs and, historically, have been employed as post-doc researchers and have combined research with teaching/supervising. They're not paid very much, but do a valuable job. Without them universities and labs couldn't function. Usually, they go back to their native country after a few years. Both parties benefit.

I have heard of cases in Cambridge where PhDs have been told they would be removed the day after they were awarded their degree.

Schools have being making noises too. Currently, a high percentage of Modern Languages teachers and many teachers in science and IT are from abroad. Some of them come to the UK to gain experience of a different system and return. Whether they stay or not, they're filling holes which can't be filled by UK trained teachers. Newly qualified teachers don't earn £35k.

PECS

Indeed Ilovecheese that would have been far better. It might also act to decrease the number of people from overseas needed to fill the jobs as the work might become more attractive to people already resident in the UK. Just a thought!

There's a massive shortage of highly trained teachers in certain subjects and of researchers/scientists. It takes years to train them and the UK benefits from having overseas workers in these jobs because they bring new ideas.

All down to a desperate attempt to mitigate some of the worst effects of brexit.

Just don't tell the readers of the Daily Express who would rather keep all foreigners out, no matter what they do or how much they might earn.

we already have a massive shortage of doctors and nurses - being taught on line is not ideal, for sure ;)

Spain has a chronic shortage of nurses. There was an article about it in the local press at the weekend. Many are working in the UK as they say the T&C are better there. They complain (their words) that the ‘Spanish government just keep issuing sh*t contracts’.

I am very aware of the need for teachers and nursing staff and was not really thinking of them when I posted though it is true they earn about £25k as a starting salary. Maybe that is the underlying reason...

biba70

we already have a massive shortage of doctors and nurses - being taught on line is not ideal, for sure ;)

If you look at the Road Haulage Association's web site you will find that there is in excess of 75,000 shortages of HGV drivers. That's those that can drive the articulated trucks.

What concerns me about importing labour, whether skilled or semi-skilled, is the impact it has on the home country that they are leaving. Where will that country train replacements, how long will those that live there have to wait for the sort of things that we take for granted?

I’ve no problem with that.

Indeed- same for nurses and doctors trained at massive cost in the Carribean or Africa, and Easter Europe, etc- coming to work in the UK.

I live in a border area- it is extremely difficult for the other side of the border to have nurses and carers, and many other professions- as they choose to work here in Switzerland where wages are much much higher.

No problem with what maddyone? Do you think we should let very poor countries train doctors, nurses, scientists, teachers- for us to just poach cheaply?

Think about it this way- 1000s work here in Switzerland- because work load is much better, conditions amazing and salaries much much higher. Trained at huge cost by the UK.

I do think it is a difficult moral question for richer countries to address.
Why are we not attracting enough 'home grown' people to train in our shortage jobs making us reliant on overseas trained staff?
Are we draining talent from poorer countries causing them to be more reliant on aid?

It's the same thing in reverse with UK teachers. I know so many who have upped and moved overseas. More pay. Better conditions. Respect.

At one point, at a great school I worked at overseas, there were EIGHT teachers from a UK school I used to work in (I recruited 3 of them to move).

Class size here is between 12 and 15 - wednesday afternoons off, and for secondary, only teach their classes, no cover, they can just go for a bike ride, a swim or back home whenever they are not timetabled. Salaries vastly higher, pensions too. Yes, I know loads of UK teachers and nurses here, doctors too, IT specialists, scientists and researchers at highest level, funding no issue - and as you say- respect. My GP is French btw, appointments are for 30 minutes each patient, and NO waiting list for specialist and operation, MRI, scans, whatever.

Training paid by UK tx payer to come here.

PECS

I am very aware of the need for teachers and nursing staff and was not really thinking of them when I posted though it is true they earn about £25k as a starting salary. Maybe that is the underlying reason...

It did cross my mind. Post-doc researchers probably earn about that much too. I don't have a problem with them working here. Many of them come from developing countries, sometimes sponsored by the state, study at British universities, stay here for a few years, then take their expertise and experience back to their native country. The UK benefits from having highly intelligent, motivated people here during their stay.

PECS

I do think it is a difficult moral question for richer countries to address.
Why are we not attracting enough 'home grown' people to train in our shortage jobs making us reliant on overseas trained staff?
Are we draining talent from poorer countries causing them to be more reliant on aid?

The UK has been trying for years to attract qualified physics and IT graduates into teaching. The problem is that they can earn loads more in industry or abroad - without all the hassle.