A Midlands law firm is to lobby a local MP to limit the negative effect the economic migration cap is having on local businesses.
The cap was introduced by the coalition government in July and restricts the number of skilled workers from outside the EU who can take up employment in this country.
Leamington solicitors Wright Hassall have several examples of companies that are suffering because of the cap and are to contact an MP over the matter.
Head of business immigration, Marian Dixon, has written to Nadhim Zahawi - who is the MP for Stratford-on-Avon and also sits on the Parliamentary Select Committee for Business, Innovation and Skills.
She said: “We are attempting to outline the implications this policy will have on the local economy.
“For many local businesses, recruiting highly skilled staff from overseas is an essential part of their people strategy and necessary for them to achieve the business growth they are aiming for.
“We are not talking about unskilled jobs here, it is top end graduates and highly skilled workers who have very specific skill sets, often not found in the UK, who are being affected.”
The cap was initially introduced on an interim basis before a permanent cap is brought in next April.
“The current cap was launched effectively overnight simply to stop the UK Border Agency being inundated with applications before the permanent one comes into place in April,” she said.
“Not only has this given businesses very little time to adapt, it was based on snapshot research over the very limited period of July 2009 to March 2010, a time when the UK was in deep recession.
“This has led to the implementation of a very blunt ranking system which is very basic in its approach.
“Business secretary, Vince Cable and the mayor of London, Boris Johnson have both spoken out against the cap, stating that it will damage the economy across the UK if something isn’t done.
“Warwickshire also attracts overseas students to its world class universities. The new cap could discourage overseas students from coming to the region if they feel that they won’t be able to take up positions after graduating.
“This is an issue that has to be addressed sensibly. The introduction of the cap was not meant to have a detrimental effect on the economy but, invariably, that is what has happened.”
