The room’s instinct was not simply to limit overseas recruitment, but to make domestic workers the first test every employer had to face. The result gave that principle a powerful mandate, even as the debate left open whether the proposed process could deliver it.
The floor’s most-respected Yes cases treated the old 28-day rule as a brake on bad habits: scrapping it had been “an open invitation for bad employers to bypass local workers”, while the strongest formulation called for “first refusal for people who already live here”. The argument was that a visible domestic search would push employers towards fairer pay, training and less reliance on tied visas.
No voters did not offer a single alternative so much as several objections to the chosen instrument. One of the better-rated No arguments said “just advertising will not solve the problem”, while another warned it would become “a box ticking exercise”; a recruitment voice added that employers often receive poor applications or none at all. The two sides were therefore talking past each other: Yes argued for a presumption, No for proof that the presumption would change hiring.
The immigration argument quickly widened into a dispute about skills policy, public-sector pay and the NHS. A No reply insisted that “without them the public sector wouldn't be able to function”, while Yes voices countered that importing trained staff can spare employers the cost of training and leave poorer countries short of doctors and nurses.
The vote endorsed domestic priority; it did not settle whether 28 days would enforce it or merely record it.
23 Opinions
No immigrant should expect a job that could possibly be done by a citizen.
Britain is too cheap to train people so just steals them from countries that needed those skills. I exclude the NHS where we do even worse - we train people at vast expense and then give the jobs to someone else. How stupid are we and the GMC.
The function of the skilled worker visa is to ensure the availability of skills. If the skills are available locally, the visa isn't necessary.
Should employ British full stop. Don't need to go overseas to get someone who can change bedding or cook a curry !!
This is tied up with the immigration mess. We have millions unemployed yet back street take aways ‘sponsor’ new immigration ts with skills e.g. washing a kitchen floor. Make it 3 months as 29”8 days does noting as you also have to interview candidates. I would ban any immigrants for 5 years so we can train our own.
We have way too many people on the dole and way too many foreign nationals employed especially in the public sector which should be 100% British people only for national security reasons.
NO Britian needs to be able to employ the best talent from across the world, to start making our country great again. Rather than giving other countries 28 days to steal the best talent worldwide. But at the same time as I've said no, I do think there should be a heavy levy put onto these 'professional'work visas. This would encourage employers to look for British talent first if there is any available.
This was abandoned in 2020 for good reasons. It does not deter employers from hiring the person they believe to be best, but it does impose delays and ineffiencies.
It would become a box ticking exercise. Employers could advertise for 28 days, then reject UK applicants and recruit overseas, Better to genuinely test whether employers are investing in British workers
Unless there is someone more capable from overseas who would do the job, a British citizen should be prioritised to fill it. Considering the caliber of folk I've seen when I've walked through one of our hospitals, it shouldn't be very difficult.