At NI Chamber, we believe it’s time to reset the dial and turn things around on growth. We have a window of opportunity to build on what’s gone before us by prioritising a prosperous, productive, and competitive economy which serves business, society, and the next generation better.
The collective aspiration of business leaders across Northern Ireland is a stable and flourishing economy; one which is sustainably funded and supported by government policies which deliver clarity and certainty for investors and indigenous firms alike.
Talk to us
At NI Chamber, we’re always available to support policymakers with unique business insights, new ideas, and access to research and thinking which is specific to this important region of the UK.
Suzanne Wylie
Chief Executive
T: +44 78160 93750
E: suzanne.wylie@northernirelandchamber.com
Stuart Anderson
Director of Public Affairs
T: +44 7711 493190
E: stuart.anderson@northernirelandchamber.com
Mission: Business Growth
A renewed partnership
Better working with government
Partnership between government and business is essential for Northern Ireland to realise its potential. Developing a shared understanding of the challenges we need to overcome, and the strengths we can build on, requires better co-ordination and decision-making between central government, the Executive and NI business.
Building a competitive proposition
Enhancing Northern Ireland’s reputation as a testbed for global innovation
Government should:
01 Ensure NI business representation in all appropriate UK-wide advisory structures and bodies, including the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council
02 Improve co-ordination with a single point of direct business contact for all government departments
03 Build on the success of NI as a regional hub in plans to relocate UK civil service roles from London
04 Begin an effective consultative process with business, jointly with the Northern Ireland Executive, on developing NI’s fiscal framework
NI is the only jurisdiction in the world where business can sell goods into GB and the EU free of customs and regulatory barriers and it is a global leader in many of the priority sectors in the Industrial Strategy. With the right approach there are real opportunities to be grasped now in high-growth areas like life sciences, clean tech, advanced manufacturing, digital and cyber security.
Government should:
01 Support Northern Ireland to become the test bed for low-carbon innovation with the incentivisation of decarbonisation through innovation funding, R&D tax credits, and the establishment of Centres of Excellence including CATAPAULT and City and Growth deal innovation centres to their maximum potential
02 Ensure NI benefits from AI Growth Zones, Robotics Adoption Hubs and The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund as well as access to other funds, in a way that works for Northern Ireland
03 Harness the world-leading expertise of universities in Northern Ireland to drive economic growth and opportunity and work in partnership to achieve the key objectives set out in the Modern Industrial Strategy
Tackling near market red tape
It is important that the EU and the UK continue to strive for simplicity and accessibility of trade under the Windsor Framework. It commits both parties to keep the arrangements under constant review, and as we have moved through each of the implementation phases, new challenges have arisen that must be addressed.
Competitiveness on the island of Ireland
Unlike any other UK region, Northern Ireland is uniquely exposed to a competitiveness challenge on the island of Ireland that can create obstacles in attracting and retaining talent, and investment. Northern Ireland can only truly play its part if these challenges are fully understood and addressed by the government working in partnership with the Northern Ireland Executive.
Government should conduct a comprehensive review of the unique competitiveness challenges on the island of Ireland for businesses operating in Northern Ireland, including but not limited to, consideration of differences in:
NI Chamber members want GB/NI trade further eased by:
01 A comprehensive review of the “At Risk” test. This needs to be simplified and kept up to date with modern technology
02 Reducing customs administration
03 Urgent reform of the Duty Reimbursement Scheme
04 An ambitious SPS Agreement between the UK and EU, as soon as possible, with a package of support for GB-NI SPS movements in the interim
05 Enhancing the role of the Office of the Internal Market to manage divergence
06 The government actively promoting, supporting and educating GB businesses to trade with Northern Ireland, grounded in ambitious Key Performance Indicators
• Business Taxes, including Corporation Tax and hospitality VAT
• Air Passenger Duty
• Skills and Training
• Access to international talent
• Infrastructure and connectivity
• Regulatory environment
A workforce and workplace of the future
Creating sustainable working environments
Access to people:
The regional application of UK-wide immigration rules does not work. Northern Ireland needs more effective migration, mobility, and skills policies that align with regional economic need. With Northern Ireland effectively at full employment, access to international labour is critical for driving sustainable growth.
Government should:
01 Develop a Northern Ireland Specific Immigration Salary List, and a review and subsequent adjustment to the salary threshold at a level reflecting Northern Ireland wages
02 Create a special immigration route, or addition to the Northern Ireland Devolved Nation Immigration Salary List, for the recruitment of suitably skilled individuals at RQF level 1-2, targeted specifically at sectors in Northern Ireland experiencing acute labour shortages
03 Facilitate smooth transitionary mechanisms for international students from study and the Graduate Route into the Skilled Worker route, aligning thresholds with regional pay levels and ensuring Northern Ireland retains this skilled talent pool
04 Establish an Island of Ireland Mobility Taskforce with the Irish government and the Executive to address cross-border mobility challenges, including the all-island tourism offering
Childcare:
Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK and Ireland that does not have a childcare strategy. This undermines our competitiveness and acts as a barrier to the workplace for many where childcare costs outweigh potential earnings.
Government should:
01 Support employers by providing:
• An online toolkit and support service that breaks down the complexity of Workplace Nursery Model
• Capital grants to support any works and establishment costs required to workplace nursery sites
02 Support working families by:
• Increasing the cap and government contribution on Tax-Free Childcare.
