UK hit by Brexit labour shortages, finds survey

LONDON: The UK is being hit by labour shortage from the European Union (EU) in the wake of the Brexit referendum last June, according to a new survey released on Monday.

British businesses that rely heavily on EU nationals are finding it difficult to hire the right candidates as such workers decide to stay home, according to a survey by the UK's Chartered Institute of Personnel (CIPD) and the Adecco Group.

The survey shows that almost half of all the vacancies are in the retail and wholesale, manufacturing, health and accommodation and food services industries. Fears of a so-called employee “Brexodus” are particularly high in the education and healthcare sectors, the survey
indicates.

The report, which was based on data from over 1,000 employers, also shows that more than a quarter of employers believe that the EU nationals they employ are considering leaving their jobs and possibly the country in 2017.