Government says child and family social workers can be hired from abroad

The committee has been assessing the national occupation shortage list – a fast track route to a UK working visa  - and last month advised ministers that children and family social work should remain on the list of occupations classified as having a shortage.

Adult social workers have been taken off the list while orchestral musicians, visual effects and computer animation technicians and contemporary dancers have been added.

Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: "This does not mean that all jobs on the list will go to foreign workers. In fact, only a small proportion of these jobs, which employers are unable to fill with British workers and those already here, will go to people from outside Europe.
 
"This is yet another example of how the government can use the flexibility of the points based system to ensure migration works for everyone in these changing economic times."

All vacancies not on the shortage occupation list must be advertised within a UK job centre for two weeks before being advertised abroad.