3 ms·

Despite the standard HN position (Brexit Bad, Tories Bad, everything Bad) - this is a really good policy. Last year, UK net migration was up a lot (https://www

by flave 4y ago

Despite the standard HN position (Brexit Bad, Tories Bad, everything Bad) - this is a really good policy. Last year, UK net migration was up a lot (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/bulletins/longterminternationalmigrationprovisional/june2021#comparisons-with-other-data-sources https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populati...) mostly driven by student visas, mostly driven by India and Nigeria. This is a good thing for the UK - a country which already specialises in Education. We make money for each student, companies get the pick of talent, it's good for soft power and gives optionality. It's also morally right that we offer legal ways for people to move to the UK. Boris is bad yes, but he brought back the two year post graduation visa (under May you had 3 months to find a job - I saw this up close and it simply wasn't enough time for any specialisation). This is also a really good thing. Commentators below talking about 'going remote' but this is relevant for SWE and some professional services. Roles in labs, R&D, education, media, law are almost always hybrid which means you can't hire overseas. What's important is that most of these people would have got into the UK anyway on the points-based systems if they spoke a bit of English and worked in an in-demand field. What this policy essentially does is say is that if you went to these Universities then you don't need to be a SWE and you don't need a certain level of English. I can't see how this isn't a good thing. And by the way, we already do this for people later in their career. https://www.gov.uk/global-talent https://www.gov.uk/global-talent

thawaya3113 4y ago
Of course, this policy could have been achieved in the EU as well, so this does not reduce the badness of Brexit, or the current Tory leadership which is in power solely through lies.
hollowdene 4y ago
All good points. I think the list of universities is rather reductive, but I'd rather have this policy than nothing at all.
5ESS 4y ago
Not everyone shares your enthusiasm. Yes, this is good for foreigners and corporations but it comes at the expense of native workers. it suppresses wages(often times immigrants are willing to do the same jobs at lower salaries), as well as makes it more difficult for native workers to find a job due to increased competition.
- flave 4y ago
  I really don't know what you're talking about. How are a few hundred Harvard graduates going to meaningfully 'suppress wages' in the UK? If anything, they'll actually increase demand for goods and services in the UK - which is going to push up wages. I'm willing to entertain the argument that thousands of low-skilled migrants out compete indigenous low-skilled labour and push down wages. But that obviously doesn't apply in this context. If anything, US DE and JP workers would actually need higher salaries to justify their coming to, and staying in, the UK. I don't mind whether or not people 'share my enthusiasm'.

by flave 4y ago

thawaya3113 4y ago

Of course, this policy could have been achieved in the EU as well, so this does not reduce the badness of Brexit, or the current Tory leadership which is in power solely through lies.

hollowdene 4y ago

All good points. I think the list of universities is rather reductive, but I'd rather have this policy than nothing at all.

5ESS 4y ago

Not everyone shares your enthusiasm. Yes, this is good for foreigners and corporations but it comes at the expense of native workers. it suppresses wages(often times immigrants are willing to do the same jobs at lower salaries), as well as makes it more difficult for native workers to find a job due to increased competition.

flave 4y ago
I really don't know what you're talking about. How are a few hundred Harvard graduates going to meaningfully 'suppress wages' in the UK? If anything, they'll actually increase demand for goods and services in the UK - which is going to push up wages. I'm willing to entertain the argument that thousands of low-skilled migrants out compete indigenous low-skilled labour and push down wages. But that obviously doesn't apply in this context. If anything, US DE and JP workers would actually need higher salaries to justify their coming to, and staying in, the UK. I don't mind whether or not people 'share my enthusiasm'.