Jobs 'to be promoted in UK first'

Unions say current rules on advertising are often ignored

Employers will be forced to publicise skilled job vacancies on the Jobcentre Plus network before advertising them abroad, the Home Office has said.

This follows concerns that some firms are effectively hiding jobs from UK workers such as builders and nurses by promoting them only in trade magazines.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the greater exposure would give UK workers the "first crack of the whip".

But the Tories said this was pointless without an annual cap on immigration.

The group affected by the government's change will be "tier two'' immigrants, who include primary school teachers, some categories of nurses, hotel managers and construction workers.

Employers currently have to advertise a job nationally for two weeks before looking for workers from overseas.

Skill levels

The time limit drops to one week where a salary of more than