UK Firms Turning To Foreign Workers And Planning To Offshore Key Functions

The survey found that:

• 45% of employers reported having vacancies that were hard to fill
• 21% said they were recruiting migrant workers for engineering vacancies
• 15% said they were recruiting migrant workers or Information Technology & Finance positions
• 17% of employers are planning to recruit migrant workers in the third quarter of 2010
• 21% of employers recruited migrant workers in the last three months, of which 37% recruited from outside of the European Economic Area (EEA)
• 1 in 10 private sector companies plan to offshore work in the next 12 months with:
  • 65% planning to offshore to India
  • 36% planning to offshore to China
  • 29% planning to offshore to Eastern Europe

The CIPD public policy advisor, Gerwyn Davies, said that “The study highlights the complex juggling act the government now faces. The proposed introduction of a migration cap comes at a time when many employers are still struggling to fill skilled vacancies, despite the high unemployment rate. The training of local or British workers to fill skilled jobs currently occupied by migrant workers will not happen overnight”

The UK Head of Markets for KPMG, Malcolm Edge, said that “Our own research shows that UK businesses are increasingly optimistic about their prospects. But businesses need the right people with the right skills. Increasingly they are looking overseas to address this skills gap, either recruiting people to the UK or deciding to offshore both work and jobs.”

Recently the UK Government introduced a temporary Immigration Cap which will be in force until the permanent Immigration Cap comes in next April. The temporary Immigration Cap has already had a significant effect on UK companies ability to bring in highly skilled workers for specialised positions.

Commonwealth Contractors

Commonwealth Contractors is a collection of highly skilled professionals from the Commonwealth and beyond. We partner with OISC Registered Immigration Partners capable of professionally representing a Tier 1 Visa Application / Extension and Tier 2 Licensed Consultancy & Associated Trust Partners who may be prepared, where required, to sponsor a doctor on a Tier 2 Visa (formerly UK Work Permit). Commonwealth Contractors also provides updates on UK Immigration News.

To find out more call Commonwealth Contractors now on 0330 390 9021 or Submit your details now and we will get right back to you.. Please be prepared to send a copy of a recent CV so that we can pass to interested partners.