The Government should remove the Immigration Skill Charge for employers who sponsor jobs on the Shortage Occupation list. This is particular important for jobs in the health and social care sectors.
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It can cost thousands of pounds to recruit an overseas worker to a job on the Shortage Occupation list, and a significant proportion of these costs are the Immigration Skill Charge. NHS or other employers have to pay £1,000 for the first 12 months of employment, and £500 for every further six months. We believe the rationale behind charging such a heavy cost for filling the most required staff is flawed, especially in this period of Covid 19 where there is a shortfall in healthcare workers.