UK IMMIGRATION NEWS

UK circuses need well-trained migrant clowns and acrobats

Friday, 6 March 2009

Malcolm Clay, of the Association of Circus Proprietors of Great Britain, told the committee that they needed to bring performers from Eastern Europe and China. However they feared that although the new points-based system is a 'vast improvement' on the previous work permit system, Embassy staff have not been properly trained for the new system.

The old work permit system required evidence that the applicant was internationally recognised in his/her own field. In one case, an application from a female trapeze artist from China was rejected while her male partner was allowed in. ''They wouldn't give a visa to the girl because she didn't have an international reputation. It was an absolute nonsense,'' he said. The requirement for performers to apply for entry from their home country has been lowered under the new points-based system.

Mr Clay said, when asked why British circuses needed to recruit from abroad at all, ''Younger members of Britain's circus families were not interested in learning to become clowns, acrobats and bareback riders, and other traditional circus jobs."

And he added: "We don't have British circus performers who want to pass their skills on to the next generation. They seem to want to take them to their graves with them. There is not a pool of British unemployed circus performers."

The circus schools in the UK mainly catered for students who wanted a hobby rather than a career, whereas Chinese and Eastern European circus performers were products of former state training systems.

My Clay said, "Someone who can stand outside Marks and Spencer's and juggle three clubs may look quite impressive but in circuses we need someone who can juggle seven clubs."

Ruth Jarratt, director of policy development at the Royal Opera House, was pleased that the Home Office had included ballet dancers in its shortage occupation list under the Tier 2 of the points-based system, allowing it to continue recruiting from outside the EU. However, she was also concerned that, under the new system, productions may face difficulty with replacing performers who have been fallen ill.

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