UK small firms are being encouraged to hold on to their most skilled employees as the country’s skills shortage sharpens.

The facts:

Migrant workers are packing their bags and leaving Britain to ride out the worst of the country’s economic downturn. This, coupled with new rules making it harder to recruit migrant workers, is about to cause small firms big problems, according to recruitment specialist JFL Search & Selection.

The Points Based System (PBS) replaces all other UK permit schemes at the end of November.

Under the PBS, businesses will need to apply for a four-year licence to sponsor the employment of migrants from outside the EU and Switzerland including skilled workers, temporary workers or students in the UK.

It also places a new duty on employers to implement robust employment and recruitment practices to maintain their right to carry a licence.

Research conducted earlier in the year shows that applications for UK work permits from Eastern Europe (a major source of skilled workers) has fallen to its lowest level since 2005.

Between January and March there were 45,000 applications from the eight countries that joined the EU in 2004; 13 per cent fewer than in the same period the previous year.

According to figures from the Federation of Small Businesses, 48 per cent of small and medium-sized businesses have non-UK workers on their books.

They said:

Ros Kindersley, managing director of JFL Search & Selection said:  “Our ability to survive any economic challenges ahead will be largely contingent on attracting and retaining skilled labour. 

“With talent from across the globe playing a crucial role in the fabric of the UK’s SMEs, it is important that employers are aware of these imminent changes to the migrant worker visa system and comply accordingly.” 

We say:

A shortage of skilled job candidates means it’s more important than ever to hang on to your best employees. Incentives don’t have to be more money or extra holiday entitlement, offering flexible working and training could just as easily do the trick.

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By News Desk  on   Nov 10,2008

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Keywords

recruitment    migrant    FSB    economy    employees    incentives   

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