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New Immigration System poses a ‘University Challenge’
Impact on universities who hire staff from abroad debated at event
With the new Points Based Immigration System due to be introduced into the UK in autumn 2008 for skilled workers with a job offer, jobs.ac.uk has initiated a debate amongst universities on how to prepare for the changes.
At an event held by jobs.ac.uk (24 June) at the University of Warwick 35 universities debated the issue and raised concerns about the challenges the new system will bring.
All universities who currently recruit skilled staff from abroad are set to be affected by the changes. Under the new system, universities will need to apply for a licence from the UK Border Agency in order to employ migrant workers under the Points Based System, and agree to meet a number of sponsorship duties. If accepted, they will be able to issue certificates of sponsorship for overseas recruits.
Andrew Gordon, director of jobs.ac.uk who hosted the event said: “The event confirmed that there’s a huge need to explain the changes clearly to universities to help them prepare. The universities came armed with many questions as well as practical solutions to some of the issues. We have taken on a ‘brokerage’ role to help universities work together and equip them for the new system. Although the new UK Immigration System will have a dramatic effect on universities and British academia, some institutions have already been through the process and are on the Register of Sponsors.”
Speakers at the event included the UK Border Agency team and Universities UK. The University of Nottingham, the University of Bristol and the University of Warwick who have already implemented international recruitment strategies, shared practical advice to their peers.
Eddie Procter, Recruitment Manager, the University of Bristol said: “British universities are facing increasingly tough competition from institutions overseas. Universities must respond to the international market to attract the best academic talent. At Bristol, one part of our recruitment strategy is to boost our networking activity to attract and build relationships with top quality candidates. Universities need to use more flexible and effective selection processes to make sure they recruit the best person for the job – whether they’re from the EU or overseas.”
Andrew Gordon added: “The UK is catching up with other countries such as America and Australia who use the Points Based System already. We don’t think the new system will put off bright job applicants.
“However, universities must understand the changes they need to make in order to take advantage of the overseas talent pool. The university job market looks set to remain highly competitive with institutions vying to attract staff for jobs requiring specialist skills. Institutions need to develop their own international recruitment strategies which highlight their unique strengths to potential candidates in order to widen their net.”
Notes for Editors
1. For further information please contact:
Gail Buckle or Kirsty Shaw at BOTTLE PR on 01865 882988 or email or
To view presentations given on 24 June event and speaker profiles go to http://www.jobs.ac.uk/conference
For information on the new Points Based System:
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/managingourborders/pbsdocs/
4. Information on the assessment criteria (HR Systems & Compliance) that sponsors will be judged against under the new Points Based System:
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers/points/sponsorduties/assessment/
5. Guidance for employers on the prevention of illegal working:
www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/employersandsponsors/preventingillegalworking/
6. About jobs.ac.uk
jobs.ac.uk is the leading online jobs board for jobs in research, science and academic related professions.
At any one time there are on average 3,000 jobs listed on the easy to navigate website and 40,000 jobs are listed over the course of a year. jobs.ac.uk has over 220,000 registered users and 540,000 individual jobseekers visit the site each month, from over 125 countries (ABCE Audit January 2008).
Since launching in 1998, jobs.ac.uk has grown to become the leading recruitment site in the research, science and academic sectors, attracting the most qualified and talented people from the UK, Europe and across the world and often those who are willing to relocate for their ideal job.
Created by The Universities Advertising Group (UAG) - a collection of UK universities working together to procure cost-effective recruitment and course advertising, and with its web site operated by Warwick University, jobs.ac.uk has an inherent knowledge of the Higher Education sector. Current advertisers include the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge as well as large institutions such as the BBC and Google.
The jobs.ac.uk service offers a cost effective alternative to print media and has a wider reach. Job listings are emailed directly to potential candidates and the internet can be used daily in lunch breaks for example – this is easier to do when currently employed than reading the papers.
Jobseekers have an excellent chance of finding a quality job through jobs.ac.uk because of skilled categorisation and quality checks that are implemented. All adverts are checked in detail, placed carefully in the most appropriate sections and made live within two working days. Daily or weekly email updates are sent to each subscribed jobseeker about positions relevant to them and jobseekers are given direct access to the recruiters. These services offer jobseekers piece of mind that they are not missing any jobs or opportunities.
jobs.ac.uk has an open culture. They have an office webcam, answer jobseeker emails in person, use videos on the web site from recruiters and themselves and provide account handlers for customers. They also run training and networking events for clients on topical and practical subjects such as discrimination in recruitment.
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