Consultation launched into impact of immigration rules on teacher shortages

A consultation has been launched to examine the impact of immigration rules on teacher shortages.

The Home Secretary has written to the chair of the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) and commissioned it to consider whether there is a shortage of teachers and whether this is grounds for teacher being retained on the UK shortage occupation list.

The consultation will cover all teaching professionals in primary and secondary education, in both the private and state sectors and examine wether it would be sensible to fill shortages through non-European Economic Area (EEA) migration.

The move follows proposed new immigrations rules that will mean non-EU migrants earning less than £35,000 will be unable to settle in the country permanently, which unions warn could have an adverse affect on the supply of qualified teachers.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT teachers’ union, said: “The NASUWT has led calls for the Home Office to reverse policies that would lead to thousands of migrant teachers losing their jobs and facing potential deportation from the UK. I am therefore delighted that the Home Office has remitted the MAC to investigate teacher supply.

“In its direct engagement with the Home Office and the MAC, the Union has made clear that the impact of a salary threshold on migrant teachers would create serious problems for schools, unfairness for migrant teachers and deny children and young people the opportunity to benefit from the expertise of these highly skilled professionals.

“Given the current recruitment and retention crisis, the introduction of needless barriers to the employment of overseas trained teachers makes no sense.”