Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Covid Recovery Visa

The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 14 September 2021.

Many sectors that are important to our economic recovery, from hospitality to haulage, construction to culture are now under huge strain due the lack of EU workers and the Government’s immigration rules. We know there are countless struggling businesses across London that are working hard to get back on their feet, but are now simply unable to hire the staff they need.

Given the urgency and the scale of the challenge, I’m calling on the Government to change its immigration system so that it meets our economic needs and helps our businesses. This must include introducing a “Covid Recovery Visa” to help attract international workers into key roles to support our economic recovery. London has unique needs when it comes to attracting workers from around the world – and so a more tailored, dynamic approach is urgently required.

When it comes to immigration, many politicians seem to be too scared to argue for what they know is needed. The truth is that a flexible migration system that can attract talent from around the world will always be crucial to London’s competitiveness and our ongoing success.