Written evidence from the Home Office
IMMIGRATION POINTS
BASED SYSTEM—WORK
ROUTES
At the hearing on the Immigration Points Based System
on Monday 28 March, we undertook to provide the Committee with
some additional evidence in the form of a written note. The information
requested is set out below.
Intra Company Transfers
1. The following table provides details of the
top 10 companies seeking Intra Company Transfers. As requested,
it also shows where headquarters are based and whether there are
company subsidiaries in India.
| Rank | Organisation
| Country Headquarters | Certificates of Sponsorship
|
| 1 | Tata Consultancy Services
| India | 7,632 |
| 2 | Cognizant Technology Solutions
| US with operations India | 4,962
|
| 3 | Infosys Technologies Ltd
| US | 3,761 |
| 4 | Wipro Technologies | India
| 3,611 |
| 5 | IBM UK Ltd | US
| 2,558 |
| 6 | Tech Mahindra ltd | India
| 2,369 |
| 7 | Accenture (UK) Ltd | US
| 2,019 |
| 8 | HCL Great Britain Ltd |
India | 1,873 |
| 9 | Capgemini PLC | France
| 1,226 |
| 10 | Steria Ltd | France with operations in India
| 1,034 |
SALARY LEVEL
AND CHECKS
ON INTRA
COMPANY TRANSFERS
2. The introduction of the Points Based System established
clear lines of accountability for employers that did not exist
under the previous work permit arrangements. There is now a clear
link between the compliance of those an employer brings to the
UK and the ability of that employer to continue to sponsor overseas
workers. The onus of providing accurate information rests firmly
with sponsoring organisations.
3. The Agency's primary method of checking the veracity of
ICT earnings is through a sample, reviewed by a UK Border Agency
visiting officer during a post licence visit. At this point we
check a selection of paper files to ensure the salary and allowances
meet the appropriate thresholds. Prior to this, at the visa application
stage, where there are concerns regarding the proposed earnings
as detailed on the employer's Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS),
the Agency's overseas locations have the facility to refer these
cases for further checks.
4. The new £40,000 ICT threshold can be made up of both
the salary and allowances, but not bonuses and will be subject
to thorough compliance checks. Allowances for accommodation must
not exceed 30% of the total package.
5. In the period 28 November 2008 to 01 April 2011, the average
salary including allowances on the CoS for ICT migrants was £63,105.
The average allowances on the CoS for ICT migrants was £25,637.
The median salary including allowances on the CoS for ICT migrants
was £40,116, and median allowances were £21,600.
THE PROPORTION
OF TIER
2 APPLICATIONS FROM
CORPORATE COMPANIES
6. As of 29 March 2011, the breakdown of Tier 2 sponsor applications
from companies, based on a measure of the size of the organisation,
is as follows:
| Organisation Size | Total no. Of applications
|
| Micro organisation (0-9 employees) | 5,348
|
| Small organisation (10-50 employees) | 6,824
|
| Medium organisation (51-250 employees) |
4,155 |
| Large organisation (251+employees) | 3,713
|
| Total | 20,040
|
VISITS TO
SPONSORS SINCE
OCTOBER 2010
7. As of 28 February 2011 the number of visits to Tier 2 Sponsors
by UK Border Agency staff since October 2010 and their outcomes
are as follows:
| Visit Type | Total
|
| Post-licence visits | 1,788 |
| Suspensions | 148 |
| Revocations | 93 |
| Downgraded to B-rating | 353
|
| Pre-licence visits | 813 |
| Highly Trusted Sponsor visits | 93
|
| Total Visits | 2,694 |
BREAKDOWN BY
FAITH OF
TIER 2 MIGRANTS
UNDER THE
CLERGY OCCUPATION
8. As of 29 March 2011 1,599 Tier 2 migrants had been granted
entry to the UK under the clergy occupation. The breakdown by
faith is as follows:
| Sub Tier | Religious Faith
| Total |
| Buddhist | 30
|
| Christian | 1,324
|
| Hindu | 23
|
| 2R | Jewish | 16
|
| Muslim | 72
|
| Not Stated | 18
|
| Other | 11
|
| Sikh | 105
|
| Total | | 1,599
|
OUTCOME OF
THE 2,000 REMOVALS
9. As outlined in paragraph 3.9 of the National Audit Office's
(NAO) report, since December 2008, the North East, Yorkshire and
the Humber region have contacted 6,000 individuals and had success
in encouraging 2,000 of these to leave the UK. A further 1,800
qualified for further Leave to Remain. Of the remainder, some
will have outstanding further applications, some will be tasked
for enforced removal and some are dealt with through contact management
until they comply, or formal reporting arrangements are put in
place. This is an approach we are rolling out across the country.
CURRENT FEE
OVER COST
RECOVERY LIMIT
10. The Agency is forecasting to receive approximately £807
million total earned income in 2010-11. This is the same as the
limit for over cost recovery.
PROGRAMME COSTS
11. The total spend for the Points Based System programme
is set out below against the initial budget.
| PBS Programme Spend
|
| Actual | Budget
|
| Programme Only Costs | £18,553,470
| £11,409,000 |
| Total IT Services | £25,532,295
| £24,228,701 |
| Total | £44,085,765 |
£35,637,701 |
The need to meet the ambitious deadlines for the published roll-out
plan in 2008 and 2009 required an increase in resource that resulted
in a programme spend as above. The Points Based System rolled
out from February 2008 and the required IT for Sponsorship went
live as scheduled in June and November 2008 and has operated successfully
ever since.
12. You also requested information on the number of work permit
holders who subsequently settled in the UK. As Jonathan highlighted,
it is not currently possible to provide this information. With
the launch of the new Immigration Casework System, over time we
will be able to analyse this data.
1 April 2011
|
