Construction Companies Concerns Over Brexit ‘Cliff Edge’ Skills Gap

Industry specialists in the construction sector have announced this week the need for EU workers to be entitled to “settled status” in the UK after Brexit. The construction sector, which at the moment hires close to 3 million people, will face extreme ‘cliff edge’ skill shortages over access to EU workers – reported by 7 different bodies.   

Settled status allows those who have been resident in the UK for more than 5 years to apply for ‘settled status’, which is the equivalent of Indefinite Leave to Remain or ILR. This will give them access to healthcare, education and benefits as has been the case in the past. Those who have been here for less than 5 years will have the opportunity to complete their 5-year period and then apply for settled status following this.

The Home Office have this week announced that there would be an initial “implementation period” for a new immigration system following Brexit. During this time, EU citizens would be able to apply for settled status.    

The UK already has severe construction skills shortages, the bodies said in their new Construction Industry Brexit Manifesto. These problems run the risk of being intensified if a 2 year transitional period is not in place that offers a ‘clear path to settled status’, the piece outlined – this applies to both EU workers already in the country or any that arrive within that time.   

"For those entering the UK during the implementation period there appears to be little certainty that they will have the right to remain beyond those two years," it said. One of the chief executives at the Federation of Master Builders revealed their intentions of recruiting and training up higher levels of UK workers but against a ticking clock, it doesn’t leave them with much time. "We know we need to step up as an industry and train more home-grown talent but we also have to be realistic about the future. There will continue to be some ongoing need for migrant workers and our post-Brexit migration rules will need to be fit for purpose," he said. "With the country facing a shortage of skilled workers and the most acute housing crisis in living memory, the government needs to provide certainty to existing EU workers in the UK and enable construction SMEs to attract more home-grown talent into the industry."   

One of the spokesmen from the Home Office stated that the UK government would be post-Brexit immigration system in place ‘which works in the best interests of the whole of the UK.’ "We are carefully considering the options for the future immigration system and will set out our plans shortly.   

"We have already been clear there will be an implementation period after we leave the EU to avoid a cliff edge for businesses and that EU citizens already working in the UK will be able to apply for settled status so they can stay," he added.    

Back in September the UK immigration minister held a meeting with construction industry representatives to allay their concerns. The minister added that the country was within touching distance of an agreement with the EU on citizens’ rights following Brexit. Immigration specialists have seen a spike in concern following Brexit from the construction sector with site managers worried over staff levels. Will noticeable surge in British Citizenship applications, panic has now set in for EU workers and whether they may face deportation. What remains to be clear is that construction and especially the commercial property industries are greatly affected by political uncertainty – uncertainty that is still showing no signs of clearing.