Foreign IT workers swamp UK

[scaryfast]

I started at a telecoms company a few month back (full disclosure: It's permie) and I'm surrounded by a regularly changing set of Indian workers.

In house developers are bored tulipless, and rarely do any real work (timesheets, email, performance management).

We get to write hugely detailed tech design docs that wouldn't be necessary without the stupid outsourcing setup.

I just want to write code

[swamp]

Beware of ye swamp though, else ye not be seen again !

Oi!

[Foxy Moron]

Beware of ye swamp though, else ye not be seen again !

[BlightyBoy]

You haven't paid you anti hypocrite insurance have you?

Nope.

In any event, in typical Mail style, the artical starts off by slamming the govt. (well, rightly so), and criticising an influx of foreign workers painting a gruesome picture of on-the-bench brits replaced by cheaper, eastern gentlemen (sic).

However, the closing comment hidden at the bottom of the page states:

The data, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act from the Home Office, revealed that the number of foreign IT workers coming to the UK last year fell by eight per cent from its high point of 38,450 in 2007

So it's not quite as bad as their opening statement would suggest.

[foritisme]

Not just E*S.

I was working at a bank a few years ago, been there a few times. The consultancy, who where also a recruitment agent, (rhymes with a German tank) use to 'hide' job applicants, then tell the end client that no body suitable had applied for the job and would then push their own outsourced consultants.


I do they they did this, because I applied once and after not hearing anything rang up my old boss, who told me my CV had never reached him, after the agent told me it definately had ! My old boss told me he just had a lot of CVs from people who's name he had trouble pronouncing !

[Foxy Moron]

You haven't paid you anti hypocrite insurance have you?

[BlightyBoy]

As opposed to "UK IT workers swamping foreigners"?

How many ex-pats subscribe to these threads and are working abroad (theoretically taking away jobs from local Johnny Foreigner?)

[sal626]

There's no loophole as such. A company in the UK will outsource a project (or even a "function") to a foreign company (i.e. in India). So the work goes "offshore".
The indian company will say we have "X" resources that are required to complete this project, and they have to work on client site. Can we please have work visas for them? The rules of the visa are that these resources cannot leave thier job and apply for any other job in the UK.

So the question is not really "foreign workers" coming in, but UK companies outsourcing projects offshore. The UK company can easily oursource the project to a UK company, who would employ UK resources. But obvioulsy, that will be more expensive. And dont expect daily mail to run with this angle.

[chris79]

For example to get in under Tier 1 (HSMP) you now need a Masters degree. And to get in under Tier 2 your sponsor must advertise your position at a Job Centre first. Both these rules should significantly reduce the amount of IT labour coming in from the sub-continent (who here has a Masters?!?)

I think that won't change anything, I did a Masters a few years ago and I was the only UK citizen on the course of 20 people (and yes it was in IT!)... everyone else was foreign students.

[chris79]

A short while ago I was working at a large American company and whole floors were taken up with foreign workers working on local projects. The only local people were one or two PMs working on the project, all the rest were from Indian companies. I couldn't understand how they could get away with it.

Wasn't E*S by any chance? I worked on a project recently in the same building where they resided and I too saw entire floors of foreign workers there.

[Foxy Moron]

What does "Swamp the UK" mean? Are they turning into a swamp. Am I likely to get stuck in a swamp of MS certified techies?

[Moscow Mule]

In my experience, the problem is not the odd person like local oaf - but great teams of people brought in by companies that have outsourcing. Maybe someone here can enlighten me how they do it, but as I understand it there is a loophole that allows companies to do this.

A short while ago I was working at a large American company and whole floors were taken up with foreign workers working on local projects. The only local people where one or two PMs working on the project, all the rest were from Indian companies. I couldn't understand how they could get away with it.

"Training" contracts. You'll notice that the folks in these arrangements tend to change every 6 months or so.

[Jubber]

In my experience, the problem is not the odd person like local oaf - but great teams of people brought in by companies that have outsourcing. Maybe someone here can enlighten me how they do it, but as I understand it there is a loophole that allows companies to do this.

A short while ago I was working at a large American company and whole floors were taken up with foreign workers working on local projects. The only local people were one or two PMs working on the project, all the rest were from Indian companies. I couldn't understand how they could get away with it.

[local oaf]

The HO has just announced several changes that will tighten up the immigration rules.

For example to get in under Tier 1 (HSMP) you now need a Masters degree. And to get in under Tier 2 your sponsor must advertise your position at a Job Centre first. Both these rules should significantly reduce the amount of IT labour coming in from the sub-continent (who here has a Masters?!?)

Of course this worries heck out of me as I'm here on a HSMP that is up for renewal next year. The official line is that they will allow existing visa holders to apply for further leave under the old rules, but since this government seems to change directions faster than a fly who knows

I completely understand the reason though. AFAIK the UK has the easiest Work Visa entry conditions in the world. The only other country that I can get in to (that I know of) is Canada, but the wait time is 8 months to 4 years.

ps. before you snipe I'm Australian - and I can guarantee there are more Brits working in my country than there are Aussies working in yours

[happyroggat]

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/a...-com-boom.html

Perhaps the reason why so many people are on the bench.