There has been a drop in the number of applicants from EU countries applying for jobs in the UK, new figures show.
A survey of 2,000 employers conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), shows that the number of applicants from EU member states applying for each job vacancy in the UK had fallen since summer 2017.
Businesses are reporting skills shortages in areas where the recruitment of non-UK workers is traditionally high, including IT, transport and construction, the CIPD says.
The number of people applying for the average low-skilled vacancy has fallen from 24 to 20 in the past year and from 19 to 10 for medium-skilled posts.
“The most recent official data shows that there has been a significant slowdown in the number of EU nationals coming to work in the UK over the past year,” said CIPD spokesman Gerwyn Davies. “This is feeding into increasing recruitment and retention challenges, particularly for employers in sectors that have historically relied on non-UK Labour to fill roles and which are particularly vulnerable to the prospect of future changes to immigration policy for EU migrants.”
The survey said that in response to increasingly competitive job market, companies were being forced to raise wages to attract workers from EU countries.
lex Fleming of the Adecco Group recruitment firm, which helped with the research, said firms must consider rolling out benefits to hang on to staff.
He said: “With Brexit looming we’re seeing a talent shortage and a more competitive marketplace. In this candidate-short landscape the pressure is on employers to not only offer an attractive salary, but also additional benefits.
“In today’s environment employment benefits such as healthcare, a strong pension, flexible working and a collaborative and empowering work culture give employers a strong competitive advantage in attracting the best talent.”
Article published 14th August 2018