In a memorandum submitted today to the House of Lords Select Committee on Economic Affairs, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) concludes that while the recent high level of immigration has benefited UK employers and the economy as a whole there have been losers as well as winners.
Commenting on the memorandum, presented as written evidence to the Select Committeeís inquiry into the Economic Impact of Immigration, Dr John Philpott, Chief Economist at the CIPD said:
ìThe recent high level of immigration to the UK is a mixed blessing. Employers have gained and there has been a clear positive economic impact. But there are costs as well as benefits, losers as well as winners. The losers are mostly young and less skilled non-migrants, often from the UKís most disadvantaged ethnic minorities, ironically the descendants of earlier waves of immigration. The impending economic slowdown could make life even tougher for those least able to compete for jobs in a slacker labour market.î
The CIPD contends that since 2005 employers have found it easier to recruit less skilled workers at prevailing rates of pay and generally found migrants to be better recruits than non-migrants at those rates of pay.
The CIPDís policy conclusion as presented to the Lords Committee is that entry of less skilled migrants from outside the EU should be more tightly controlled. The CIPD thus supports the Governmentís points based system for managing migration due to be introduced next year, even though this may frustrate some employers. The CIPD also welcomes recent developments in welfare to work and skills policy that, if effective, should make less skilled non-migrants more competitive in the labour market.
Dr Philpott continues:
ìThe acid test of any policy for managing migration is that it meets reasonable and legitimate employer need without detriment to the common good. The forthcoming points based system seems to strike the right balance.
ìIn the long run however the best way to minimise the cost of immigration is to improve the employability of our least able people. But in doing so the Government should avoid talk of ëBritish jobs for British workersí which runs the risk of being heard as a political ëdog whistleí by some of the worst elements in our society.î
Immigration ëa mixed blessingí the CIPD tells House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee
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