Foreign Workers: Over the past four years, non-EU foreign workers have played a crucial role in mitigating staff shortages in the UK, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This influx of workers has been particularly beneficial for sectors like health and care, where demand for labour has been high. However, it presents a dilemma for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government, which has pledged to tighten immigration policies amid looming elections.
Foreign Workers Mitigate
Since the onset of the pandemic, approximately 1.2M non-EU born individuals have entered the UK workforce, offsetting declines in UK and EU-born workers.
The ONS data underscores a significant shift following the end of free movement within the EU in January 2021 under the new post-Brexit migration regime.
Despite this increase in migration, the employment rate among non-EU born workers remains lower compared to EU and UK-born workers, suggesting a higher volume of migration is necessary to fill job vacancies.
Looking ahead, the ONS predicts a substantial population growth of 6.6 million by 2036, primarily driven by immigration. This projection underscores the need for the government to address the associated challenges, including ensuring adequate provision of public services and housing to accommodate the expanding population.
While non-EU foreign workers have helped alleviate immediate staffing pressures, the government faces the task of balancing immigration controls with meeting the demands of a growing population.
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