Government is acting unreasonably in restricting employers' ability to access skilled graduates from outside of Europe, EEF tells a House of Lords inquiry
20/02/2014 MAKE UK
EEF, the manufacturers' organisation, has today submitted its evidence to the House of Lords' Science and Technology Committee inquiry into international STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) students. EEF argues that Government is acting unreasonably in restricting employers' ability to access skilled non-EEA graduates.In its evidence to the Committee, EEF criticises the Government's decision to abolish the Tier 1 post-study work route (1), arguing that this decision is restricting employers' ability to attract vital STEM graduates from outside of Europe, many of whom are left with no choice but to leave the UK after completing their studies.
It further argues that the process of recruiting international graduates is time-consuming and burdensome, hampering employers' efforts to bring in new international talent into their company further.
EEF recommends that Government restores the Tier 1 post-study work route and makes the process of recruiting non-EEA graduates easier and simpler, giving manufacturers access to a wider talent pool, when skills shortages are rife.
Key statistics:
A quarter of manufacturers have recruited a non-EEA graduate in the past three years
One in ten companies specifically plan to recruit a non-EEA student in the next three years
Almost half of manufacturers disagreed that the process of recruiting a non-EEA graduate was easy
Over half (53%) found the process of recruiting a non-EEA student very time-consuming
Four in ten companies had difficulties securing a sponsorship licence when recruiting a non-EEA student
Almost half had difficulties obtaining a visa for their non-EEA graduate employee
A positive balance of 22% of companies said they would definitely hire a non-EEA student again
- Source: EEF Higher Education Survey 2013
Commenting on the submission, Tim Thomas, Head of Employment and Skills Policy at EEF, the manufacturers' organisation said:
"Manufacturers rely on the recruitment of non-EEA graduates to meet their skills needs, particularly those that hold degrees in the sciences, technologies, engineering and maths (STEM). Government policy should not unreasonably restrict employers' ability to access this talent pool; however industry fears that current migration policy is doing just that.
"Government should promote the value of international graduates, just as employers do. It should restore the Tier 1 post-study work route, or, introduce a route which allows international STEM graduates to stay in the UK after their studies to occupy hard-to-fill roles in industries such as manufacturing. Government must work harder to remove the hurdles employers face when recruiting international graduates, giving businesses simple, easy access to skills they desperately need"
For more information, please contact:
Sophie Carroll
External Affairs Executive
EEF, the manufacturers' organisation
Broadway House
Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9NQ
Tel: 020 7654 1515 (direct dial)
Email: scarroll@eef.org.uk
Web: www.eef.org.uk
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