THE EQUALITY IMPLICATIONS OF BEING A MIGRANT IN BRITAIN
problematic for occupations with genuine shortages relying on relatively low-paid and formally less-skilled labour. The Labour Force Survey (LFS) shows that, among care assistants and home carers, only an estimated 33 per cent have NVQ3+ compared to the 43.5 per cent average for British workers. For care homes to employ non-EEA workers within this model, they might have to reclassify their staff as nurses and nursing auxiliaries (49 per cent with NVQ3+) and pay higher wages. However even this is unlikely to be effective since the rate for a RCN grade D nurse in 2006/7 was equivalent to about £18,000 per annum 5 . It seems unlikely that British and EU workers will fill all the gaps, especially with the likely trends in A8/A2 immigration (see Chapter 1). The other route, which for the time being is suspended, would be to open up tier 3. However, given the differential rights associated with this tier, placing carers in it represents indirect gender discrimination due to the low evaluation of feminised skills and consequent low salaries. In addition, given the nature of care, the guestworker dimension of tier 3 is not suitable for maintaining a continuous care relationship, unlike seasonal agricultural work. For employers, too, it would make additional demands in relation to staff retraining. The emphasis on skills measured by qualifications may also restrict expansion in male-dominated sectors, such as catering, where labour shortages have arisen as the second generation of earlier migrants of Bangladeshis and Chinese do not wish to take over businesses or work in the sector (Williams, 2008). The abolition of sector-based schemes for catering and the mismatch between skills required for tier 2 and those of the sector are likely to pose many problems in the future. These examples highlight the existence of skills shortages which do not fit easily into the criteria drawn up for tier 2. In a study published on 9 September 2008, MAC (2008b) identified 192 skilled occupations of which it designated 19 as shortage occupations in the UK, with an additional four in Scotland 6 . Two of the UK occupations are discussed above as ones which might have difficulty recruiting but might present problems in being recognised as shortage areas in terms of criteria. MAC’s resolution has been to stipulate a minimum salary level of £8.10 for chefs and cooks and £8.80 per hour for senior carers. The latter has been criticised by the Home Carers Association (BBC, 9 September 2008), which commented that the pay required was far above the medium level paid within care homes for senior carers. The Royal College of Nursing (11 September 2008) 7 , in its response, wished the Government to consider the
5
See www.ecademy.com/module.php?mod=list&lid=117538
6
These are nurses in care homes for the elderly, occupational therapists. See www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120981.php
7
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