TIGA CEO warns that limiting immigrant settlement rights could damage UK games industry
The UK trade Association representing the games industry has warned the UK government that inhibiting the settlement rights of UK migrants could damage the sector.
The warning comes following a MORI poll that found that 7 in 10 Britons think that there were too many immigrants in the UK and Home Secretary Theresa May promising to reduce the yearly intake.
“Restricting or removing settlement rights could make the UK a less attractive place for many talented migrants,” warned TIGA CEO Dr Richard Wilson.
“Limiting or eliminating settlement rights could stymie the growth of some games development businesses and could harm the capacity of the sector generally. At a time when the UK economy has virtually flatlined for nine months, the last thing that the Government should be doing is harming the capacity of a high technology, high skills, export oriented sector to grow.”
TIGA made the comments in response to a consultation exercise by the Migration Advisory Committee: Call for Evidence on Analysis of Settlement of Migrants Under Tiers 1 and 2 of the Points Based System.
The association claims that the UK game businesses typically tries to recruit from the resident labour market. However, many businesses also have to source skilled development staff from overseas.
12 per cent of the country's current development workforce consists of non-UK citizens.