Tag Archives: News

Atos Origin Reports Strong 2009 Results

Key points from the results 2009 include: UK operations performed strongly (revenues grew by 7.4% due to the performance of Managed Services) Revenues in Germany declined Revenues in France remained the same Revenues fell in Consulting and Systems Integration sectors Operating Margins improved due to cost cutting Rent and Lease dropped by 15% Travelling Costs […]

UK Unemployment Figures

Key Statistics for the final Quarter of 2009 (October through December): Employment Rate 72.4% – 28.91 million people employed – A fall of 12,000 Unemployment Rate 7.8% – 2.46 million people unemployed – A fall of 3,000 Inactivity Rate 21.3% – 8.08 million working age inactive people Total Pay (including bonuses) rose by 0.8% on […]

Tier 4 Student suspension partially lifted in India, Bangladesh and Nepal

The UK Border Agency has announced that it will partially lift the suspension of Tier 4 (Student) of the Points Based System (PBS) at seven visa application centres in North India, Bangladesh & Nepal from the 1st March 2010 following investigations into whether certain applications were genuine.

REC Survey Shows Employer Confidence Is Returning

Survey highlights: 94% of Employers expect to either maintain or grow their permanent workforce in the next 12 months One in four employers are planning to increase their temporary workforce in the next year Communication and Interpersonal Skills top the list of specific attributes desired in candidates The REC’s Director of Research, Roger Tweedy said […]

Tier 2 Codes Of Practice To Be Updated

What are the Codes of Practice? Before a Tier 2 Licensed company can ‘sponsor’ a worker from outside the EEA it must ensure that the job it wishes to sponsor the migrant worker for is in line with the relevant Codes of Practice and meets all relevant conditions. If the job does not meet the […]

Airport Body Scanners could be illegal

Body Scanners were recently introduced at UK airports following an attempt by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to blow himself up on a flight to Detroit over the Christmas period. Since then the United States, Nigeria and a number of European Countries (including the Netherlands) have either installed the scanners or have said that they plan to […]

Security Clearance & Contract Jobs

Cabinet Office Guidelines state that Recruitment Agencies are not allowed to ask for security clearance levels in advance unless the assignment is short term or required at very short notice. The REC Director of External Relations, Tom Hadley said “Contract jobs in sensitive areas may require a security clearance; however this should not be seen […]

The end of IR35?

Introduced in 1999 to prevent contractors avoiding tax payments through intermediary firms IR35 has been a compliance nightmare not just for small businesses but also for the HM Revenue & Customs, who have spent a fortune trying to bring and win cases against Limited Company Contractors deemed to be ‘Outside IR35’. Speaking to the Telegraph […]

Tier 4 (Student) Rules to be Tightened March 2010

Tier 4 (Student) Rules March 2010 Tough changes relating to Tier 4 (Student) Rules relating to the Points Based System are to be introduced on the 3rd March 2010 the Home Secretary has announced. Under the new rules the number of hours an overseas student will be allowed to work in term time will be […]

Citizenship Points Test UKBA Analysis of Consultation Responses

The consultation was undertaken by many significant groups including; The Immigration Advisory Service, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, Liberty, Mayor of London, Refugee Action, Scottish Government, The Law Society, The London Assembly, TUC. POLLING SURVEY RESULTS Do you agree or disagree that a points-based test should be introduced as part of the application […]