The mayor of London has called on the government to reconsider its immigration rules, which the TSSA transport union said could leave up to 300 Transport for London (TfL) staff at risk of removal.
In July, changes to visa policies were announced, including increased salary thresholds for visa sponsorship, and removal of some transport roles from the “skilled worker” list.
Sir Sadiq Khan told the London Assembly on 9 October that the changes had “left TfL staff in limbo”, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
He said the deputy mayor for transport, Seb Dance, had written to the migration minister to call for the measures to be paused and for TfL staff to be protected immediately.
The Home Office said it would respond to the letter in due course.
They have previously said the government’s immigration white paper, which includes these measures, will “restore order” to immigration and “end dependence on lower-skilled international recruitment”.
‘Moving the goalposts’
Asked about the issue by the Green Party’s London Assembly leader Caroline Russell at Mayor’s Question Time, Sir Sadiq accused the government of “moving the goalposts”.
He added that TfL staff were “unclear about whether they can stay in the UK and continue the important work they do for us”, and that the rules would “inhibit TfL’s ability to carry out its functions”.
After the meeting, Ms Russell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she had heard from TfL workers who struggled to sleep at night due to the uncertainty.
“One worker, expecting her first child, should be filled with joy, but instead she’s terrified she’ll be forced to leave the country before her baby is even born,” she said.
“They’ve spent thousands of pounds to be here, worked hard to gain qualifications, invested everything and now they’re being told they have no place here. It’s a complete betrayal of the promise they were given.”
The new rules, which took effect on 22 July, raised the salary threshold for visa sponsorship to £41,700 a year for new applicants.
TfL currently pays a starting salary of £31,000 for graduates, with trainee station staff believed to earn between £35,300 and £41,800.
‘Needless uncertainty’
Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the RMT union, welcomed the mayor’s intervention, adding: “Transport workers who were hired under clear visa arrangements are facing needless uncertainty which should have been avoided.
“These people are doing essential front-line jobs and helping to keep London moving every day.”
Mr Dempsey said last month that 63 RMT members working for the London Underground were facing removal, some as early as November.
However, Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the TSSA union, estimated as many as 300 TfL staff could be affected.
Most of these came to the UK on skilled worker or graduate visas, and currently work in Tube stations as customer service assistants.
A TfL spokesperson said: “We are working with all colleagues affected by the changes to understand whether they have other routes to work in the UK available to them and to support them where possible.”
Source: BBC
