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Work Permits

Volume 487: debated on Tuesday 10 February 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 8 January 2008, Official Report, columns 453-4W, on entry clearances: employment, how many work permit applications by non-EU workers were approved in each of the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by the 20 most frequent occupations. (253987)

[holding answer 3 February 2009]: The table shows the number of work permit applications for non-EU workers approved in each of the last three years broken down by the 20 most frequent occupations.

Figures are rounded to nearest five.

Because of rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown.

The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. The occupational categories used are not compatible with those in the Standard Occupational Classification.

Caveats:

The figures do not equate to the number of individual nationals who were granted permits because they include those applications approved to extend or amend an existing permit or where the individual has moved to another job with a different employer. Not all those who were granted a permit took up the job and some may have been refused entry clearance or further leave to remain.

Number of individual approved work permit applications from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2008

Top 20 occupations

2006

2007

2008

Total

Other IT related occupation

15,275

17,065

17,485

49,830

Other manager related occupation

17,500

16,455

15,095

49,055

Nurse

13,615

8,515

8,770

30,900

Software engineer

9,535

10,610

7,410

27,555

Other financial occupation

7,480

8,705

7,450

23,635

Other engineering occupation

7,605

7,440

7,330

22,375

Chef

5,840

4,340

3,475

13,655

Researcher

4,570

4,515

4,160

13,250

Other health/medical occupation

6,495

3,305

3,135

12,935

Senior carer

5,690

2,180

3,475

11,340

Teacher (school/college)

4,040

3,800

3,445

11,285

Analyst programmer

2,925

3,790

3,465

10,180

System analyst

2,035

2,360

2,150

6,545

Project manager

1,475

1,665

1,845

4,985

Doctor

3,035

905

905

4,845

Other hotel catering occupation

2,090

1,445

1,205

4,740

Other education/cultural occupation

1,515

1,500

1,330

4,345

Accountant

1,380

1,185

1,090

3,655

Business analyst

785

1,335

1,425

3,550

Marketing/sales manager

1,135

1,240

1,105

3,485

Others

30,935

25,975

25,320

82,235

Total

144,950

128,325

121,080

94,355

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are applied in determining applications to work in the UK from (a) non-EU nationals resident in the UK, (b) EU nationals resident in the UK and (c) nationals of Commonwealth countries resident in the UK. (254439)

Full details of the criteria applied to these categories for assessing applications for work can be found on the UK Border Agency website at:

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk