This is nothing new. The British banned skilled textile workers from immigration to US.

Edit: The British also banned export of advanced textile machines during the industrial revolution to US. It's very similar to the US/Europe banning ASML machines from being sold to China.

Probably backfired, with people from other economies filling the hole, and opportunities for bilateral trade affected. Ironic given the majority of the pre industrial revolution silk weavers in London were Hugenot migrants, settled in Stepney.

government preventing people from taking the maximum amount offered for their labour is incredibly communist, it's exactly what cuba does with their doctors