Skills shortage as migrants shun UK work

The shortage of skilled workers is getting worse amid a “sudden reversal” in the numbers of EU and non-eu migrants in employment in this country, according to a new report.

Research among more than 1,000 employers suggested vacancies are becoming harder to fill.

The squeeze is leading employers to increase pay rates, said the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the Adecco Group.

Gerwyn Davies of the CIPD said: “The data implies that the pendulum has swung away from the UK as an attractive place to live and work for non-uk-born citizens, especially non-eu citizens.

“This has heightened recruitment difficulties for some employers. It also underlines the risk that more non-ukborn citizens and employers will be discouraged from using the post-brexit system if more support is not provided and it is not made simpler, fairer and more affordable, especially for lowerskilled roles.”

Alex Fleming of the Adecco Group said: “The labour market in the UK is tight and this research is reporting increasingly high levels of recruitment and retention difficulties.”