The latest IT Contractor News from Contract Eye

The PCG has welcomed the news that the Coalition is set to announced a major overhaul in the UK's immigration system today, including radical changes to the controversial intra-company transfer (ICT) rules.

The Home Secretary is set to announce full details of the Government's new policy in the Commons this afternoon.

The PCG have campaigned against the abuse of ICTs for many years now, and it is now expected that workers using such permits must earn over £40,000 per year to be excluded from the proposed cap in immigration.

ICTs were invented to allow multi-national companies to transfer their senior or highly specialist staff between countries, but have instead been used to transfer large numbers of low skilled IT workers, according to the contractors' organisation.

Simon McVicker, Head of Public Affairs at PCG commented:

"PCG welcomes and strongly supports the Home Secretary's new measures on these permits. We have been campaigning on this issue for many years to no avail and these new rules represent a huge change in the status quo. A minimum salary of £40,000 is a massive increase, where previously ICTs were often being accepted into the UK on half this salary, undercutting UK IT contractors. This will ensure freelancers really do have fair access to the market for their services. Whilst we are of course awaiting further exact details on how this will work, this policy is a big and significant win for PCG. The UK Borders Agency have clearly listened to our evidence and taken it on board

"The big abusers of ICT permits will not be in high spirits today, but for PCG on National Freelancers Day this represents the culmination of many years of work on this issue. We await more details but for now this is news to be warmly welcomed and strongly supported. Our hard work and the hard work of our members campaigning for change has clearly paid off."

You can find out more about this campaign, and others, a the PCG website.