UK must adopt clear and sustainable appproach to immigration, says expert from Ward Hadaway

Lawyers from Ward Hadaway believe it is vital that businesses can maintain access to migrant workers in post-Brexit Britain to plug skills shortages and keep our region growing. Immigration specialist Flora Mewies said that a large proportion of her clients work in sectors that have skills shortages in the North. Her comments come as the build-up continues to the Yorkshire Fastest 50, the annual run-down of the fastest-growing privately owned companies in Yorkshire which Ward Hadaway organises in association with The Yorkshire Post. David Pearce, the co-founder of Nephos Solutions, said his business required talented individuals from both inside the UK and overseas to allow it to grow and develop. The Leeds -based software development company builds business applications for desktop, web and mobile devices using cloud-based technology. He said: “Having access to the best skillsets available, irrespective of an employee’s country of origin, is vital to a growing technology company, especially in a rapidly changing global digital economy.” “Taking advantage of the talented individuals that emerge from the local and highly-regarded University of Leeds demonstrates a joined up approach of Government, higher education and businesses working to deliver growth and excellence in the local economy.” Nephos Solutions has sponsored its first employee under the Tier 2 General Visa scheme, which provides highly skilled workers, who have an offer of employment from a UK sponsor to fill a gap in the UK workforce. Laura Garcia, 28, graduated from University of Leeds in December 2018 with a Masters degree in Corporate Communication, Marketing and Public Relations. She is originally from Colombia and works as an Advertising and Marketing Manager for Nephos Solutions in Headingley. Ms Mewies helped Ms Garcia secure a visa. She said: “Once I began my Masters degree in Leeds, I realised it would be a great experience to work in the UK in order to continue with my professional growth. I started seeking advice for international students provided by the university and that’s how I met Flora.” “The visa sponsorship was not an easy process and having a professional like Flora to help me along the way, really made the difference.” Ms Mewies added: “It’s great for me to be a part of the journey with such ambitious people, to secure the visas they require to continue their careers in the UK and see companies fill the jobs they need. Especially as, in turn, the businesses we are supporting are boosting the regional economy in the process. Allowing talented international students to work post-study in Yorkshire helps employers of all sizes to fill skills gaps.” The Ward Hadaway Yorkshire Fastest 50 identifies the privately-owned, profit-making companies which have seen the biggest annual expansion in their turnover in recent years. This process will create a list of the 50 fastest-growing companies in Yorkshire which will be published in March. On March 22 at a special event at Aspire, awards will be handed out to the fastest-growing small, medium-sized and large businesses One of those three winners will then receive the accolade of being crowned Yorkshire’s overall fastest growing business for 2019. The future immigration and borders system will be streamlined to reduce costs and bureaucracy, according to the Home Office. A spokesman said last month: “Border Force has already recruited a Readiness Task Force to provide operational resilience to the front line. “Border Force is on track to increase its headcount by 900 full-time equivalent by the end of March. UK visa applications are already processed quickly, with 96 per cent of non-settlement visa applications decided within our standard 15 working days’ processing time in the year ending June 2018.”