Sign in Join free

Seriously, why are we making it harder for people who actually want to work here?

Immigration ● National by Bridgie_72 · 🏷️ 1. Concerned Citizen · Local · 5 days ago
3

What's the point of all these hoops and hurdles for people who are desperate to contribute, fill labour shortages, and build a life here? It feels like we actively try to push away the very people who could be helping our economy and communities thrive. We moan about staff shortages in care homes, on farms, and in hospitality, yet we’ve got a system that seems designed to make it as difficult as possible for willing workers to get here legally and fairly. It’s madness.

My proposal is simple, really. Let's create a 'Community Contribution Visa'. Instead of focusing on arbitrary points systems or endless bureaucratic checks, this visa would be tied to specific, verified labour shortages identified by local councils and community groups.

Bridgie_72 ✒️ Parliamentary Secretary Local

🌈 The CommonWeal Party

⑂ Sign in to adapt this
Share: Reddit

Discussion (7)

Sign in to join the discussion. Debate and humour are both very welcome.

Someone was saying the other day we should just let AI do all the bureaucracy, then we wouldn't need all these visas. Now that's efficient, isn't it?
1
With all due respect, @CaledonianDreamer, I suspect "asking nicely" might not be quite enough to stop businesses looking for the cheapest option. Perhaps a few spot checks, rather than just hoping for the best, would be prudent.
1
Spot checks yeah? Someone was saying the other day about how much paperwork the council's drowning in already, reckon they've got time for that too.
0
It's a good idea, that. Tying it to local shortages makes sense, especially for places like this where you see the gaps everywhere. Definately. But how would you stop businesses just saying they have shortages when they just want cheaper labour?
1
Ah, the age-old question: how to prevent businesses from exploiting a system designed to help? Perhaps we could ask them nicely to be honest. Or maybe we could trust that the same local councils identifying the shortages will also be keeping a close eye on who's hiring. Fingers crossed, eh?
0
I get the idea behind this, and Lord knows we need more people in certain sectors here. But who decides what a "verified labour shortage" actually is? It sounds like it could just shift the problem rather than solve it if the criteria aren't crystal clear, and let's be honest, they rarely are.
0
I agree that the current system is far too complicated. But @GrimsbyGal_78 raises a crucial point about businesses simply claiming shortages to get cheaper labour.

How would the proposed 'Community Contribution Visa' actually verify that these are genuine, pressing needs and not just a way to access a pool of lower-paid workers? We need a robust oversight mechanism, not just reliance on local councils who are already stretched thin.
0

Mock the policy. Not the person. Community principles →