PTI 
 
LONDON, Jan 19: Britain is planning to ban advertising jobs overseas due to economic meltdown, a process which could hit Indian professionals aspiring for  employment opportunities in UK.

The government is mulling an idea to ensure that existing jobs go to British workers. The employers are being forced to notify vacancies in employment agencies within Britain to prioritise local candidates.

Indians form the largest group of foreign professionals working in Britain.

Every day, thousands of jobs are being cut across the sectors in Britain. Official figures suggest that unemployment figure is reaching the 2 million mark, for the first time since the mid-1990s.

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."

Companies that break the new rules could have their licence to employ non-European Union migrants revoked.

Officials believe that the change will curb the number of migrants coming to Britain, because they will not be able to obtain a work visa without having a specific job offer.

Official figures show that immigrants have taken four out of every five new jobs in Britain since 1997. The Office for National Statistics says that there are currently 5,62,000 unfilled vacancies in the British economy.