TIGA Calls for Extra Roles to be Added to the Shortage Occupation List

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TIGA, the trade association representing the UK videogame industry

Dec 10, 2014, 07:12 ET

LONDON, December 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

TIGA, the network for videogame developers and digital publishers, has proposed that a number of roles should be added to the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) to enhance the ability of studios to grow their teams, trade and turnover. TIGA made the comments as part of its response to the Migration Advisory Committee's (MAC) Call for Evidence: Partial review of the Shortage Occupation Lists for the UK and for Scotland.

Games businesses cannot always recruit the staff that they need from within the UK or the EU because video games development often requires people with highly specialised skills. Yet in fast moving high-technology industries like the videogame sector speed is of the essence when it comes to securing the right staff. If studios are unable to recruit the talent required to produce a game or part of a game, the work will usually be transferred elsewhere if part of a global entity or the contract lost, if an independent business.

TIGA has proposed to the MAC that a number of roles should be added to the SOL, including Game Analyst, Senior Game Artist, Senior Game Designer, and a range of Senior Games Programmers. Having an occupation listed on the SOL enables a fast track recruitment process, which means developers can hire staff from outside the EU without having to advertise the role for 28 days within the UK first, including on the Job Centre Plus website.

Dr Richard Wilson, CEO, TIGA, comments:

"Adding further specialist roles to the Shortage Occupation List will enable more studios to recruit the highly skilled personnel that they need in order to operate effectively and efficiently. It will enhance the ability of studios to grow their teams, trade and turnover."

Jason Kingsley OBE, TIGA Chairman and CEO and Creative Director at Rebellion, said:

"As well as enabling studios to recruit highly skilled people more easily, a careful increase in the SOL could ultimately help to improve the skills of local workers. Migration can have a multiplier effect on knowledge transfer with the recruitment of skilled staff resulting in knowledge sharing with existing teams and enhancing the skills and knowledge of the UK's indigenous workforce."

Notes to editors: 

About TIGA 

TIGA is a network for games developers and digital publishers and the trade association representing the UK video game industry. We help developers and digital publishers build successful studios, network with the right people, save money and access professional business advice. We also have traditional publishers, outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities amongst our membership.

TIGA is 90% funded by independent UK businesses. 80% of our board members are developers and/or from UK owned businesses, and 50% of our board are UK business owners themselves. Since 2010, TIGA has won 17 business awards.

TIGA focuses on three sets of activities:

  • Political representation
  • Media representation
  • Business services

This enhances the competitiveness of our members by providing benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities. It also means our members' voices are heard in the corridors of power and positively represented in national, broadcast and UK video game trade media.

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For further information, you can also contact:

SOURCE TIGA, the trade association representing the UK videogame industry

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