Border Agency monitors migrant ITers with inadequate IT
42,000 intra-company techies brought in - report
Posted in Management, 17th May 2011 10:44 GMT
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MPs say the UK Border Agency needs better IT to provide data about its points-based system for non-EU workers.
Parliament's public accounts committee has found that the UK Border Agency (UKBA) does not have the necessary IT to provide proper management information to control the flow of workers entering Britain from outside the European economic area.
In a report, published on 17 May, the committee says that when a points-based system to manage the migration of workers was introduced in 2008, the UKBA decided not to introduce new IT to manage applications. The agency said it took the decision so that it would meet its timetable for introducing the new system and to reduce costs.
The result, according to the committee, has been that the UKBA is unable to produce data to help it identify and manage higher risk applications. It also does not know when visas are about to expire and when workers should leave the country.
Margaret Hodge, chair of the committee, said she was concerned about the lack of control of workers entering Britain through intra-company transfers.
"Most workers enter through this route and, for instance, tens of thousands of IT workers have been brought in through intra-company transfers at a time when UK residents with IT skills are struggling to find work," she said.
The report says that up to September 2010, employers had brought in 42,000 IT workers using this route, even though British residents with IT skills cannot find work.
The UKBA said it is now planning to introduce an integrated casework system. "We will be looking for improved performance once the new system is fully up and running, from 2013," said Hodge.
The past performance of the agency's helplines was also criticised by the committee. It found that in 2009 less than 24% of calls to the helpline for migrants and 58% of calls to the helpline for employers were answered. In March 2011, it found the situation had improved, however, and at least 90% of calls to both lines had been answered.
This article was originally published at Guardian Government Computing.
Guardian Government Computing is a business division of Guardian Professional, and covers the latest news and analysis of public sector technology. For updates on public sector IT, join the Government Computing Network here.
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COMMENTS
are we
"Most workers enter through this route and, for instance, tens of thousands of IT workers have been brought in through intra-company transfers at a time when UK residents with IT skills are struggling to find work,"
Can't say I have been having any problems and i get calls every week, oh you mean
" transfers at a time when UK residents with *useless* IT skills and those not willing to relocate to where the work is are struggling to find work,"
Anyway I await the daily mailesque anti immigration crowd to blow their load in indignant rage.
We have been complaining about this for years!!!..
But with the MP being sponsored by the big consultancies , they have aided and abetted in High Value work being outsourced out of the country all in an effort to drive down the wages of british workers!
greased palms
of your local politico. They can then get a negative decision overturned - but only if you are prepared to make a big enough "donation".
bozos
The UK immigration people are total bozos.
I have an employee who applied and got 'highly skilled migrant' classification when he is really of average abillity. And his earnings were not enough, but the UK immigration let him take into account 'other income'... he included rental income from a property in his home country and that apparently is acceptable!!?
At the same time, I know people refused entry even to visit who are totally 100% genuine, pose no flight or any other kind of risk. Including people who have been married to British partners for years and even have kids with them.
It makes me think that greasing the palms of border agency staff is now widespread. I just cannot see any other explanation.
a guardian reader writes ...
" transfers at a time when UK residents with *useless* IT skills and those not willing to relocate to where the work is are struggling to find work,"
This is mostly true, however slightly undermined by some of the less than stellar level of competence shown by some of their replacements.
Also for "useless" read "unproven" i.e. people with good technical skills, maybe a degree or similar but no industry experience.
I too get a lot of calls and have no problems finding work, but I have 15 years experience - so I'm not competing against the production line, lowly paid, subsidised imports.
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