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Row over skilled workers’ claim

LONDON: A row erupted on Tuesday over the contentious changes to the Highly-Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) after the British government denied that the rules were being applied retrospectively to those who came here under the old scheme.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Ministry of Justice Lord Hunt rejected claims by thousands of Indian workers that they faced an uncertain future. He denied that the government had ever promised that HSMP would lead to settlement in Britain.

“The government does not accept that the Rules changes have been applied retrospectively. Existing grants of leave [to stay on in Britain] are not affected by either the change in the criteria for extensions of leave under HSMP, or the increase in the qualifying period for settlement. Nor did the government make a promise that the HSMP would lead to settlement in the UK," he said.

His remarks in a letter to the Lord Navnit Dholakia, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, provoked an angry reaction from the campaign group HSMP Forum which accused the government of “misleading” the public.

Lord Dholakia, who had raised the issue in the Lords recently, said he was not convinced by the Minister’s explanation. He said the effect of the changes on many workers had been “catastrophic”.

Some 30,000 Indian workers came to Britain attracted by the promise of permanent residency under the HSMP, introduced in 2002 to attract talent in a range of areas.

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