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Story URL: http://management.silicon.com/government/0,39024677,11034130,00.htm

Fast track visas fail to ease IT skills shortage
Just 338 workers take up the offer...

By Joey Gardiner

Published: Monday 24 June 2002

Official figures from the Home Office out today show that just 338 foreign citizens have immigrated under the government's high-skilled migrants programme since January.

The government would not say how many of these were for IT professionals, but the IT skills shortage was one area the scheme was targeted to hit. The 300 or so visas also include citizens allowed in as doctors and scientists.

Some organisations, including the Professional Contractors' Group have protested at schemes such as the highly skilled migrant programme because they say they are taking away jobs for home grown IT talent.