Creative Industries Want Government To Act Sensibly With Immigration Policies Post-Brexit

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The Creative Industries Federation (CIF) has released a Global Talent report which highlights creative industries contribute £87 billion to the UK economy. This is more than the automotive, oil and gas, aerospace and life sciences industries combined.

The creative industry also accounts for three million British jobs and is the country’s fastest growing sector.

There are fears, however, that the Government’s post-Brexit Immigration policy could put enormous pressure on the sector. Without freedom of movement, industry leaders say they will struggle to attract the “best and the brightest”.

According to an article in Dezeen magazine last month, architecture, design and technology businesses are finding it difficult to find British talent. The CIF report surveyed 250 organisations, 75% of whom employed EU nationals. Two-thirds of respondents said they could not fill their staff vacancies with homegrown talent and were forced to look overseas.

This has been blamed on a lack of technical education options in schools, a reduction in students studying design-related courses, and very little promotion of the career paths of creative industries.

"[Government] must now deliver an Immigration system that can support its commitment – a system commensurate with its vision of an open, global Britain," John Kampfner, chief executive of CIF told India Block of Dezeen magazine.

"Our global reputation has made us a magnet for world-class talent who, in turn, have helped build our international renown. It would be reckless to lose this hard-won success."

What the CIF would like to see happen with Immigration laws post-Brexit

The CIF has recommended the following to be implemented to protect creative industries from a post-Brexit recruitment crisis:

• Confirm the rights of EEA nationals residing in the UK as quickly as possible.
• Work to gain reciprocal rights for UK workers to move within the EU to work on short-term projects.
• Introduce a ‘creative freelancer’ visa as nearly half of all creative roles are offered on a freelance basis. Both Berlin and the UAE have had great success with introducing ‘artist’ visas. It would also help businesses get around the minimum salary requirements for a Tier 2 (General) Visa which, at £30,000 to £35,000 are deemed too high for most creative-based businesses.
• Same-day turnaround for visas, as businesses often have to hire at short notice.
• Reconsider the Immigration Skills Charge which penalises industries that find it impossible to fill vacancies when relying solely on UK workers.

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