Outcome of work permit policy review

Comment from Ann Swain, Chief Executive of the Association Of Technology Staffing Companies (ATSCO)

We are very disappointed that Work Permits (UK) has concluded that the existing policy of not issuing work permits to recruitment companies should be retained.

We believe that this decision is a short sighted one and is partly based on complacency about IT skills shortages. The IT market may be depressed at the moment but it will recover and, once it does, the Government will find itself fire-fighting again to fill the skills gap.

ATSCo will continue to campaign for IT recruitment companies to be able to obtain permits for workers from overseas. It will be important to concentrate on skills where there is a genuine shortage because we will not want to open the floodgates. However, the reality is that if the Government were to allow selected IT recruitment companies to apply for work permits, the total number coming in may be less because the skills sets would be more effectively utilised.

* For detailed background to the review by Work Permits (UK) on Employment/Recruitment Agencies & Contractors see: