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Construction faces migrant curb Construction faces migrant curb
(30 minutes later)
The right of quantity surveyors and construction managers from outside the EU to move to the UK to work looks set to end, MPs have been told.The right of quantity surveyors and construction managers from outside the EU to move to the UK to work looks set to end, MPs have been told.
Professor David Metcalfe, head of the Migration Advisory council, said an announcement was due later in March. Professor David Metcalfe, head of the Migration Advisory Committee, said an announcement was due later in March.
Prof Metcalfe's council decides the occupations where there is deemed to be a "shortage" of workers and where firms can recruit staff from outside the EU. Prof Metcalfe's committee decides the occupations where there is deemed to be a "shortage" of workers and where firms can recruit staff from outside the EU.
He said the recession had changed the position in the construction sector.He said the recession had changed the position in the construction sector.
He told the home affairs committee that he did not want to say more ahead of the advisory council's review of the shortage list, due to be published later in March.He told the home affairs committee that he did not want to say more ahead of the advisory council's review of the shortage list, due to be published later in March.
However, when pressed, he said it wase looking in particular at whether quantity surveyors and construction managers should remain as jobs where there was deemed to be a shortage of available workers in the UK. However, when pressed, he said it was looking in particular at whether quantity surveyors and construction managers should remain as jobs where there was deemed to be a shortage of available workers in the UK.
British trainingBritish training
It is understood that the number of vacancies for both professions fell dramatically from January 2008 to January 2009 - while the number of unemployed for both rose 500% over the same period.It is understood that the number of vacancies for both professions fell dramatically from January 2008 to January 2009 - while the number of unemployed for both rose 500% over the same period.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), which had asked for both professions to be on the shortage list last year, said it agreed with the decision to remove them now, given the slump felt by the industry since last September.The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), which had asked for both professions to be on the shortage list last year, said it agreed with the decision to remove them now, given the slump felt by the industry since last September.
Damian Cleghorn, senior policy officer at Rics, said they supported the measure "in the short term" but hoped the construction industry would pick up enough over the next year for them to have to rejoin the shortage occupation list.Damian Cleghorn, senior policy officer at Rics, said they supported the measure "in the short term" but hoped the construction industry would pick up enough over the next year for them to have to rejoin the shortage occupation list.
Prof Metcalfe was asked if there was any category of job which had come off the shortage list as a result of British workers being trained to fill them.Prof Metcalfe was asked if there was any category of job which had come off the shortage list as a result of British workers being trained to fill them.
He could not think of any, but said a lot of effort was going into training up chefs for parts of the catering industry such as Indian restaurants.He could not think of any, but said a lot of effort was going into training up chefs for parts of the catering industry such as Indian restaurants.
Prof Metcalfe's comments come after protests at refineries over a plant using Italian workers - and the political row over Gordon Brown's pledge of "British jobs for British workers".Prof Metcalfe's comments come after protests at refineries over a plant using Italian workers - and the political row over Gordon Brown's pledge of "British jobs for British workers".
There are no restrictions on workers from the EU taking jobs in the UK. The Migration Advisory Council deals with managing the occupation list for people from outside of the EU wanting to work in the UK. There are no restrictions on workers from the EU taking jobs in the UK. The Migration Advisory Council deals with managing the occupation list for people from outside of the EU and Iceland, Liechenstein and Norway, wanting to work in the UK.