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New UK immigration policy means that employers will first need to advertise jobs within the UK before advertising abroad. Employers will need to first advertise jobs for two weeks in the Government's Job Centre Plus network in the UK. These changes will mainly affect applications under the Tier 2 visa scheme the replacement for the previous work permit scheme.
Indians form the largest group of foreign professionals working in Britain.
Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, has announced plans to force thousands of nursing, primary teaching, hotel management and other 'skilled migrant' jobs to be advertised in employment agencies such as Jobcentre Plus.
Smith said "When it comes to immigration, in difficult economic times, I believe we need a tough system that offers British workers the first crack of the whip for jobs here."
However, The Office for National Statistics says that there are currently 562,000 unfilled vacancies in the UK.
Companies that break the new rules could have their licence to employ non-European Union migrants revoked.
