It is essential that veterinary surgeons are included in government plans to scrap the cap on skilled workers from the EU and elsewhere, according to the British Veterinary Association (BVA). The Association is warning that the proposed salary thresholds may threaten the status of EU vets carrying out critical but comparatively low-paid roles in public health.
The Immigration White Paper, released today, includes plans to scrap the cap for skilled workers, such as doctors and engineers, and a consultation on a minimum salary requirement of £30,000 for skilled migrants seeking five-year visas.
BVA is warning that a £30,000 threshold for EU workers could lead to a near-total wipeout of veterinary surgeons in critical public health roles in UK slaughterhouses, with devastating consequences for UK trade.
Starting salaries for Official Veterinarians monitoring standards, food safety and animal health and welfare in abattoirs are in the mid-£20,000s, meaning that imposing this threshold following consultation could jeopardise the capacity of this vital and specialist section of the workforce.
Follow the link to read the article in full on the BVA website