The argument for excluding the low-skilled from work visas under our new post-Brexit migration system is reasonable enough. As Home Secretary Priti Patel argued this morning, excluding low-skilled migrants should encourage businesses to invest in automation and in training higher-skilled staff who might be able to do the work of two of more unskilled staff.
The weak spot for the UK economy over the past decade has been productivity, which once again has flat-lined over the past year. According to ONS figures released yesterday output per hour increased by just 0.3 per cent over the past year. Output per worker was static. When you have a seemingly endless supply of cheap labour on tap, why bother to invest in labour-saving technology? And of course, without productivity growth, ultimately we cannot grow wealthier. While productivity rates occupy a pretty lowly place in public consciousness, they are at the root of how societies get richer.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in