August 13, 2018

Last week, the CBI published its immigration report: “Open and controlled – a new approach to immigration after Brexit.”

Ukie says that, as a CBI member, it has been “very vocal about the need for reform of the immigration system to support the ease of movement, especially considering Brexit.” Ukie says that the report is “a step in the right direction.”

The report breaks down its recommendations into five broad categories covering:

• building public trust by shifting away from numbers and caps towards assessing contribution;
• reform of the non-EU system to enable better access to skills from around the world;
• recognising the strong links between people and trade (easy border transfers etc);
• replacing free movement with a new system (not just the non-EU route); and
• ensuring a smooth transition to any new migration system.

Ukie explains that the report recognises that free movement will end and reform will happen, but that such reform needs to strike a balance between being open enough to support economic growth whilst maintaining (or improving) public confidence and trust in the UK’s ability to control its borders.

The report goes on to state that almost every single credible economic study demonstrates that immigration is a net benefit to the economy. Putting migration on the negotiating table can therefore only improve the UK’s chances of a good deal.

Ukie says that the report makes the point that this is not just about the brightest and the best; the full spectrum of skill levels is needed for a strong and healthy economy. Equally, the need for ease of mobility is highlighted, allowing travel at short notice around Europe to short-term appointments, trade shows and conferences.

The report concludes by saying that the current non-EU immigration system is largely inaccessible to businesses and cannot be considered a model to replace free movement. Reform must therefore look at things afresh.

Ukie says that, as it said in its recent “State of Play” report, which looked into the concerns of the UK games industry post Brexit, as long as the Government recognises immigration as a viable benefit to the economy and works to make the system more accessible, “the industry will continue to flourish and attract the best talent.” To read Ukie’s comments in full, click here.