Businesses raise alarm over skills shortages as number of EU migrants coming to UK plummets
2 min read
Businesses have urged ministers to provide “absolute clarity” on Britain’s post-Brexit immigration plans as new figures show the number of EU citizens choosing to come and live in the UK has plummeted over the past year.
According to the Office for National Statistics, net migration into the UK from the EU was 87,000 over the past year to March – down from 101,000 the previous year.
The fall brings the number down to levels last seen in 2012.
Responding to the figures the British Chambers of Commerce raised concerns about skills shortages and urged the Government to provide “absolute clarity” over the UK’s future immigration rules.
BBC’s Head of Business Environment and Skills, Jane Gratton, said: “These figures are nothing to celebrate, and given businesses are facing record skills gaps at every level it’s disappointing to see the decline in people from Europe coming here to work.
“Despite valiant efforts to recruit at home, plus heavy investment in training, employers still need great people to fill job vacancies where there are local shortages.
“As the UK leaves the European Union, our government should be shouting from the rooftops about its desire to keep attracting talented people from the Continent and beyond who want to live and work in one of the world’s most dynamic economies.
“Businesses don’t want to hear silly gimmicks like UK-only passport queues at the border – which deliver no benefits and make the UK seem unwelcoming and closed-minded.
“Instead, firms need absolute clarity on what the UK immigration system will look like, when new rules will take effect, and whether government has the courage to take a scythe to the Kafkaesque bureaucracy of the Home Office.
“The Immigration White Paper must provide clear answers for business – and fast.”
The total net migration figure is 270,000 – smashing the Government’s longstanding target to reduce the number to below 100,000.
ONS statistician Nicola Rogers said: “Looking at the underlying numbers we can see that EU net migration has fallen, as fewer EU citizens are arriving in the UK, and has now returned to the level last seen in 2012.
“Much of the recent fall is in people from the western European countries that make up the ‘EU15’ group.
“Previously we had seen a decline in the number of EU citizens coming who were looking for work however this seems to have stabilised.”
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