Non-EU worker restrictions ‘will limit studio staff options’
Plans to cap the number of skilled immigrants in the UK is damaging to its game industry, trade association Tiga has warned.
The coalition government recently proposed to bring an artificial limit to the amount of non-EU immigrants arriving in the UK, with the wider aim to cut immigration by tens-of-thousands each year.
The fear is that, considering the fluidity of game development projects, such a cap could leave British studios without options to employ staff at key stages.
Tiga CEO Richard Wilson said he “strongly opposes” the proposals.
“The Government needs to ensure that its imminent announcement on immigration policy does not hinder Britain’s economic growth by restricting the migration of skilled workers,” he said.
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“Arbitrary limits on migration could stop development studios from completing projects on time, halt expansion plans and damage their ability to win new contracts.”
The Prime Minister David Cameron said that an immigration cap would not affect ‘inter-company transfers’ – meaning the likes of Microsoft and Sony could still ship staff to its UK dev houses under the scheme.
Yet smaller businesses say the amendment puts them at a disadvantage against transcontinental companies.
Tiga called the inter-company revision is a “step in the right direction”, but it urged downing Street to go further and allow games businesses to “recruit freely from the Tier 2 migration route as well”.
There are more unemployed British devs than there are jobs for them. Does he expect us all to just sit here, while they draft in cheap immigrants to fill the positions?... Who of course will then be just thrown out into the pile like the rest of us!
Is this all part of the tax break scam? Draft in cheap labour, get some hefty tax breaks, and fill the bosses pockets. If this fool wants the UK dev industry to thrive, then use UK devs to achieve it with. Another mindless CEO with a blinkered vision... getting to be a common scenario this now.
Perhaps the foreign devs are better than the homegrown ones? I doubt they're hired just because they're cheaper. They'll be on the same rates and someone is going to have to pay for the relocation.
We're an industry that requires skills and sometimes this talent pool may be very wide but isn't deep enough.
If anything wouldn't it force work abroad even if it was just outsourcing. As far as I'm aware foreign people are allowed to work in foreign-land.
There is a lot of talent across Europe.
There is absolutely no shortage. Let alone UK developers with a lot of experience, deep and wide. So i think i will agree with Lee.
LeeC22.
It isn't the construction trade. We don't need to 'draft in cheap immigrants' as cheap labour doesn't have to work on site.
There are a few positions that are notoriously difficult to fill, typically those that span disciplines such as technical artists. Look through a few studio sites & you're almost certain to find such vacancies. If a company can't fill such a role nationally or within the EU & can prove it's tried, why should it be stopped by an arbitrary cap?
Such roles are vital & without them a project's development is hindered & therefore the studio & it's staff's jobs are in jeopardy. It's better to have them filled by a non-EU citizen than not at all.
Especially considering the future difficulties people who want to become devs will face when trying to learn the skills they need to be hired by studios. There is still a problem with a lot of Games-based University degrees not teaching students to the level they need to enter the games industry at. Now to add to that, University fees are going to increase; which may result in less students studying on relevant courses, which could mean less talent being produced in this country. Who will the studios hire in the future if there isn't enough skilled people in this country, LeeC22? The same bunch of devs over and over? There could be more internship position opened up to train new devs, however smaller studios may not be able to afford the time and money needed to train new people on the job.
foreign devs are not cheaper. it is actually illegal to pay them less. and do you really think that talent is only here? theres talent out there in other countries too. And of course theres the problem that using the same devs will stagnate the game industry over time and also prevent new blood getting a chance in the industry.
